A Hand to Hold
by musicnutftw
Summary: Asaki is a half-human/half-demon who's run away from home to be free of her abusive father and ex-fiance. Her goal is to live a normal life away from her past. Unfortunately, fate has other plans in the form of a demon who once spared her life and his friends. Following the plot of the anime (for the most part), she'll learn to face her past and fight for her future. KuramaxOC
1. The Smell of Flour

I always get this weird feeling in my gut around the same time every few days. It only happens when I'm at my part-time job at the bakery, and it only last for ten minutes or so, but it's often enough that it bugs me. When it happens, I usually head to the back to wait it out. However, my coworkers have noticed that I disappear, and they seem to think I'm missing out on something.

"Not today, you aren't," the Lead Baker, Mrs. Tendou, says, grabbing my arm. I've been working here for a few months now, and apparently that means my boss can man-handle me. She pushes me out of the back, onto the sales floor, where I stumble, colliding with someone.

"Ah, so sorry!" I squeak, bowing before looking up at the person I bumped into. My face goes bright red, probably as red as his hair, and I curse myself for being so awkward.

"It's quite all right," he replies smoothly, his voice soft. He's wearing a pink school uniform, and I rack my brain, trying to remember what school it belongs to. Starts with an M….

I realize I'm staring, and I blush even harder, taking a step back and almost knocking over a display. "Shoot," I whine under my breath as I steady it. Mrs. Tendou is nice and all, but if I send a dozen sweet buns to the floor, it's coming out of my paycheck; I'm sure of it.

"Are you new here?" I look up at the young man who is still standing there, a pleasant expression on his face. It doesn't quite touch his eyes. "I come here fairly often, but I don't think I've seen you around."

"Ah, well, I've been here for a few months, but I spend a lot of time in the back," I reply, brushing a bit of flour from my shirt sleeve.

"That might explain it," he says, smiling. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss-?"

"Asaki." I know in this culture, it's more common to call people by their last names, but Asaki is the name my mother gave me. It's infinitely more valuable to me than my father's surname.

"Miss Asaki." He's still smiling that odd smile, and I find myself having to fight not to get lost in his sad green eyes.

"You can just call me Asaki. Everyone else does."

"I'm Shuichi Minamino," he says, bowing a little. "However, Shuichi would suffice."

"Well, Shuichi," I offer, his name feeling strange on my tongue, "it's a pleasure to meet you." Skipping the formalities is such a forward way of doing things, but it doesn't bother me.

"Likewise." He gives me a genuine smile, and I feel my heart skip a beat. Damn. I don't talk to cute guys very well, and he's really pretty. He frowns, asking "Are you all right, Asaki? Your face is red."

"Fine, I'm fine," I assert, waving my hands in front of me like, I realize in hindsight, some kind of weirdo. "Anything I can help you with?"

Frowning softly, he says, "Well, perhaps a recommendation? I usually buy the same few things when I come here. Presents for my mother."

"Oh, well, um." I proceed to show him around a little, pointing out the freshest things or the more popular ones. He pauses at one item, looking at the little tag beneath it. They're kind of lumpy and studded with goopy chocolate chips, but I recognize them immediately.

"These cookies look strange," he says. Shots fired.

"Ah, you don't want those. I made them, but I'm not very good. Not only do they look bad, but they're pretty average tasting." I laugh weakly, shrugging. "Friday, the Lead Baker will make them, so you should wait until then." He keeps staring at them before looking up at me.

"You remind me of someone." His gaze is piercing as it falls on me, and I find myself frozen to the spot. "Have we met before?"

It takes me a second to respond, distracted as I am by how expressive his eyes are. They look...sad? "No way," I reply, waving a hand in front of my face dismissively. "There's no way I'd forget meeting someone like you." As soon as the words are out, I want to take them back. _What the hell did I just say?_ That was so embarrassing! "I-I mean, you kind of stand out. Not in a bad way, just...your hair, a-and your bearing, and…." I stop talking, wishing I could have just stayed in the back.

Shuichi laughs, and I feel even worse than before. I hang my head as he says, "I'm sorry, I'm not really laughing at you. It's just, it's been a long time since someone was so candid with me."

"Yay, me," I mutter, sighing.

"Are you sure you're all right? You seem a bit nervous."

"I'm fine!" I snap, if only to mask the fact that I'm not. Once again, I regret my words. "S-sorry. I'm just...tired."

Now he's really giving me a strange look. "Asaki…."

"Hey, Asaki, quit flirting and get back to work!" I jump, turning to see Kana and Haruka, the other two part-timers waving at me, smirks on their faces.

"I'm not flirting!" I shout. "Mind your own business." Shuichi's still looking at me strangely, so I figure now's a good time to take my leave before I scare him away and he doesn't come back. "Sorry, Shuichi. I hope I was of assistance to you."

"Very much," he replies, smiling again.

"You have sad eyes," I tell him, before hurrying away into the kitchen. Maybe that was too frank of me, but it's true. Even when smiling, his eyes seem distant, like he's in a whole other world.

I shake my head, hoping to get all thoughts of Shuichi Minamino from my mind. By the time the day is over, I've all but forgotten him. As we're cleaning up, getting ready to close, Haruka comes up to me.

"Asaki, someone bought some of your weird cookies," she exclaims.

"Are you serious?" I don't mean to sound as surprised as she does, but no one has bought the cookies I've made in a few weeks. "Who?" I look over at Kana who's been minding the register most of the day.

"It was that guy you were talking to. The one with the red hair," Kana states, her voice slow and soft.

"Well, I'll be damned," I say. "I told him not to."

"Maybe he has a crush on you," Haruka purrs.

"Other way around," Kana whispers, and I feel my face flush.

"Drop dead," I tell her...but maybe she isn't wrong.

...

Sarayashiki Junior High isn't exactly the nicest school in the area, but it's definitely one of the cheapest. Living on my own isn't easy, and the piddly allowance my father gives me barely covers food, so the cheaper the better. All of this would be fine if it weren't for one thing.

"Anno, get back here!" I flinch at my last name, sighing. Ever since Yusuke Urameshi had his near death experience, he's been giving off this weird energy. To make matters worse, he's been chasing me after school. I don't know how the hell he can sense my demon energy all of a sudden, but it's irritating. Demons aren't exactly welcomed with open arms in Living World, but I'm not all demon either.

I stick my tongue out at him as I jump a fence, which only serves to make him run faster. We've been doing this for a week or so, and it's already getting old for me. Slipping around a corner and making sure no one is watching, I change into my human form, leaning against the wall and breathing hard. On a list of benefits for being a half-demon, of which there are _very_ few, having an always ready disguise is near the top.

Urameshi barrels past me, sliding to a stop and turning to face me. "Hey, did you see a girl come this way? She has long dark-red hair in a braid, wearing our school uniform?"

I know this guy scares most of the other students in the area. Even those from other schools are afraid of him, but I sense largely good intentions from him, especially since he nearly died. That doesn't mean I want to get caught by him. Whatever reason he's chasing demon-me can't be good.

I shake my head, my wavy brown hair falling into my face a little. "Not through here."

"Sorry to bother you," he grunts, looking pissed. He runs on past me, heading the opposite direction I plan on going. Stretching my arms high over my head, I yawn before making my way over to the bakery. Seventh Leaven, it's called. Mrs. Tendou thinks she's clever.

Stepping inside, I jump out of the way of our delivery man, Kai Fujiwara who walks past without a word, arms full of boxes. He's never all that talkative, but I'm ninety percent sure he has a thing for Haruka. He's always looking at her when they're in the store together, and he offers to help her and no one else. It would be annoying if I needed his help. I'm physically stronger than he is anyhow.

"Welcome back, Asaki!" Haruka calls.

"Hey," I respond, sighing. I head to the back of the bakery, putting on an apron and taking my place beside Mrs. Tendou to help prep some buns. It smells heavenly in the kitchen, like sweets and fresh bread. Seventh Leaven sells half Japanese sweets and half Western ones, so there's a good variety of scents to come in contact with.

"I see you've returned," she says to me as I step up beside her.

"Why does everyone sound so surprised about this? Haruka always welcomes me like she's amazed I come in."

Mrs. Tendou laughs. "You're still pretty new, dear. After our last slew of bad part-timers, I can't blame her for being surprised." Sighing, I reach for some dough, but Mrs. Tendou blocks my hand. "I want you to work on those cookies of yours. If that young man comes back complaining about the quality of them, we may have to pull them from the floor altogether."

"I still don't know why you let me do this, anyway," I state, nonplussed.

" I think you have potential!" She laughs, passing me a bowl and a whisk. "Now, get to it."

Before long, I have the same, somewhat passable cookies. "Give it another try," Mrs. Tendou says, and this time she watches me. With a few tweaks, this next set at least looks a little more like cookies.

"All right, Asaki. Go put them in their usual spot."

"I am sorry, Mrs. Tendou. I'll work harder." I take the cookies and arrange them on their display before heading back into the kitchen. Grabbing several boxes of cookies that had been baked that morning to refill the emptier-looking spots, I head back out front.

It isn't until I stumble in the exact same spot as yesterday that I remember the universe has a sense of humor. One arm catches me around the middle, and another catches the boxes that nearly fell, preventing anything from hitting the floor.

"Asaki! Are you all right?" I look up to find myself staring at none of than Shuichi Minamino.

"Yeah," I say, righting myself, face bright red from shame. "Sorry I keep bumping into you like this."

"Not at all," he replies easily. He hands me half the boxes, following me with the other half. I have him set them all down before I start opening them and taking out the goods.

"Thanks for your help," I say.

"It was no trouble. And how are you today?"

He's so darn polite it's jarring. "Fine."

"Same as yesterday, I see."

I freeze, wondering if my face isn't just going to be permanently red. "Y-yes. How about you?"

"Doing well. Those cookies you made were rather good."

"Ha. You don't have to worry about sparing my feelings. I already know they're nothing compared to what the Lead Baker can do."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short." I shake my head as he continues. "My mother and I really enjoyed them."

"Well, that makes two of you." I shrug. "I don't think they're half-bad either, but, like I said, you have to try them when someone else makes them." As I put another pan of baked goods out, I clap my hands together. "Meiou!" I look over at Shuichi who has a surprised expression on his face.

"Sorry," I say. "I was just trying to figure out why I recognize your uniform. It's Meiou High." A high school student. That means he's older than me. In human years at least.

"Right," he replies, smiling. "And yours is Sarayashiki Junior High."

"Yeah." He knows my school uniform too. Suddenly, picking the cheapest school near my place doesn't sound so good anymore. I self-consciously fiddle with the hem of my skirt.

"I know a boy who goes there. Yusuke Urameshi." I flinch, and Shuichi laughs. "I suppose you don't like him then?"

"It's not that," I say. "More...I don't really know him. He's just a kid in my grade with a reputation for violence. Everyone says he's nothing but trouble, but he doesn't really give off that feeling to me."

"Do you like him?" Which sounds an awful lot like his first question, but the look on his face tells me what he means.

"Nooooooo. He's not really my type. Besides, he has Keiko Yukimura. I think everyone's just waiting for them to graduate so they can get married."

"I see." Shuichi nods. "I definitely got the feeling he cared for her very much."

"So, you know Keiko too," I say, frowning. Why would a high school student from a different part of town know so much about a guy like Urameshi? "How do-"

"Asaki. I need you to mind the register for me." I jump at Kana's monotone right beside me.

"Y-yeah, sure." She nods at me before walking outside. I think she goes to meet her boyfriend on her lunch break, but I'm not really sure. "Sorry, Shuichi. I guess I ought to actually do some work."

He merely nods, and I grab the empty boxes, taking them with me to the register and putting them behind the counter. I have to force myself to focus on transactions instead of watching the redhead walk around the store. I wasn't a total idiot today, was I? This question rebounds in my skull until I almost can't take it anymore.

"Asaki?"

"Hm?" Looking up into green eyes, I jump, hitting my hand on the counter. "Shhhh-ooot," I hiss.

"That looks painful. Are you all right?" Second time today he's asked me that question.

"No sweat," I say, pushing a little bit of my healing energy into my hand to alleviate the redness and the pain. I hold my hand up, saying, "It sounded a lot worse than it was."

He nods, a small smile on his face, but there's something off about it. What is he thinking? "That's relieving." He hands me the little tray of baked goods he's picked out, and I shake my head.

"What would it take for me to convince you not to eat these?" I ask, gesturing to my cookies.

He frowns, considering, or at least pretending to. "Well, I suppose you could stop making them."

"Cheeky!" I laugh, and he grins, making my heart jump. That's one hell of a smile.

"Really, they're not that bad."

"They taste kind of like if you described a cookie to someone, but they'd never seen one or eaten one, and then you expected them to make one."

He shakes his head, still smiling. "That's hardly true."

Before I can say anything else, there's a tap on my shoulder. I look over to see Kana standing there, looking sleepy. "I can take over."

"Oh, yeah," I say, not really wanting to go. "Let me finish up, okay?" She stares at me for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Thanks, Kana." Looking back at Shuichi, I say, "Sorry."

"Not at all." I ring him up and bid him goodbye. Once he's gone, I step to one side, exhaling hugely.

"You've got it bad," Kana says. She doesn't give me time to ask what I have, immediately helping the next customer in line. With a shrug, I grab the empty boxes, taking them to the back where I stack them to use later.

Haruka, Kana, Fujiwara, and I all end our shifts at the same time tonight, so when the store closes, we say goodbye to Mrs. Tendou and make our way out into the night. Summer is on its way, so it's pleasantly warm out. Pretty soon, cicadas will be the constant soundtrack of the day and night. It makes me wonder if they actually sleep.

"That guy is so cute!" Haruka shouts, breaking me from my cicada musings.

"Who's cute?" I ask, only mildly interested.

"That redhead. You know, the one you've been flirting with."

"I'm _not_ flirting!" I snap, shaking my head. Fujiwara looks a little angry, furthering my guess about his feelings for Haruka.

"And I'm a world-class baker," she retorts, laughing. "What's his name?"

"Shuichi Minamino," I mumble, not meeting her eyes.

"Minamino, huh?"

"I heard her call him Shuichi," Kana says.

"Ooh! Does he call you Asaki?" Haruka asks, bumping into me.

"Everyone calls me Asaki," I reply.

"Are you sure you haven't met him before? Calling him by his first name after only two days is pretty quick for you. You still call Kai by his last name."

"Positive." I'd put some thought into that after Shuichi asked me, and I came to the same answer. If I'd seen him before yesterday, I would have remembered. "Besides, Fujiwara still calls me Anno, despite my asking him not to."

The guy in question merely shrugs, looking at the sky. He's a high-schooler, fifteen or so, but he goes to a different school than Shuichi. Kana and Haruka both go to Kazanegafuchi Junior High, Sarayashiki's rival school. If someone from either school saw us walking together, we'd probably get harassed. Not that I'm worried. I could beat any normal human any day.

"He still calls all of us by our last names," Kana says. "He doesn't count."

"Well said!" Haruka practically cheers. We reach the road where I part from everyone else, and I wave goodbye to everyone, not necessarily glad to be heading home, but happy for a little peace and quiet. I really enjoy spending time with those guys, but sometimes, I just need to be alone.

The sun set not that long ago, so the sky isn't fully dark, but it's close. Haruka and Kana used to offer to walk me to my place, but I assured them it was okay. The darkness never scared me.

I decide to take a shortcut through the park today, hoping to get home so I can study, when a scream reaches my ears. Immediately, I'm on alert, changing into demon form as an uncomfortable shudder races through me. Looking around, I see the source of the scream: a human is lying on the ground, a weak demon looming over him.

Before I came to Living World, I might not have batted an eye. Before I wrote off my father and left everything I'd ever known behind, I would have let nature take its course. However, I've learned a lot since I came here….

Moving forward, the weak demon doesn't notice me until I'm right in front of him. He looks up from the human who's fatally wounded, blood seeping from a slash across his chest. The demon clicks its long claws, and they glint red in the moonlight.

"Hey, finder's keepers," it hisses at me.

"I just ate," I reply. "And while I respect that some demons need to eat humans, you really ought to pick your victims better." The demon snarls at me, and I sigh. "Look, I'm giving you two choices: either you walk away now with your life, or you continue to try and eat this human, in which case, you'll be dead before you get any closer."

The demon snarls at me, and I hold up one hand. Slowly, a ball of fire materializes, growing steadily brighter. I can smell his fear. He takes a step back, and I think, for a second, he's going to retreat. Instead, he launches himself toward me. He barely makes it off the ground before I chuck the fire at him, incinerating him in an instant. All that's left is ash and the smell of burnt flesh.

I sneer at the ash before leaning over the human. Placing my hands just over the gash, I close the wound, feeling my energy seep out of me. When it's sealed properly, I move his body away from the demon's remains to somewhere he'll be found. With that, I head off into the night, suddenly itching for something to punch. If only more people chose to run.


	2. Lion and Mouse

The teachers at Sarayashiki all seem to have it out for a few select students. Urameshi is one of them. Kazuma Kuwabara and his friends are the others. While I acknowledge that picking fights with people for no good reason is bad, so is a teacher going out of his way to punish a student...even to the point of physically abusing them.

"Don't talk back to me, Urameshi." As I round a corner, I find Mr. Iwamoto holding Urameshi by the collar of his shirt. "Why do you even bother coming to school, you cockroach?" He practically spits in the boy's face.

"It's definitely not for you, you overgrown jackass," he says. I snort, and Mr. Iwamoto looks back to see me standing there. He lets Urameshi down, brushing off his hands on his pants.

"Miss Anno, can I help you?" The sound of his voice makes me want to call him things like "overgrown jackass" too, but I don't feel like starting anything today.

"Principal Takenaka wants to see you in his office," I lie.

Mr. Iwamoto sneers, brushing past me. I stick my tongue out at him as he goes before turning back to Urameshi. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snaps. "I didn't need you to help me."

"Doesn't matter. There's just something really disgusting about a teacher attacking students. The day he gets caught and fired will be the best day this school's ever had."

He shakes his head. "Crap teachers like that don't get kicked out; they get promoted."

"Probably." I turn to head back the way I came when he grabs my arm.

"Anno-"

"No." I yank my arm free. "I don't know why you've been chasing me, but I'm not interested." With that, I sprint away. To my surprise, his footsteps don't follow me.

I slide into class, settling into my window seat in the back, ready to listen to whatever drivel the teacher has in store today. These classes are so easy I could ace them in my sleep, which is probably what keeps me at the top of the class. I hardly have any time for studying, and the only chance I get to do my homework is on my days off from the bakery or after I get off work.

Thankfully, today is Friday which means no school tomorrow, and no work today. I'll be able to get ahead with schoolwork and do some independent study on my own. With any luck, I'll take placement exams to get out of this stupid school and into a better one, maybe even with a scholarship. I'm practically drooling at the thought when the bell rings to let us out of class.

Changing into my human form in the bathroom, I dash out of school, racing to the biggest library in the area. It's the perfect place to get lost in the stacks and do work. On my way there, I end up passing Meiou High. I stop outside the grounds, looking up at the building and all the students coming and going.

I guess I won't be seeing Shuichi today. With a shrug, I keep moving. Haruka's right; it's only been two days since I met him. The last thing I need right now is a distraction from my main goals. "School, work, home," I remind myself. Get into a better school, do my best at work, and make enough money to keep my home. On top of that, I need to keep some money to save as well, just in case my father stops sending me my crap allowance. His patience is thin enough. If he knew exactly what I was doing in Living World, he'd lose it altogether.

I sigh as I open the doors to the library. If I didn't look so much like my mother, I think he'd have given up on me a long time ago.

...

After I've finished all my homework, I grab a few books on things like Japanese History and English, hoping to get ahead. By the time I've finished reading through the history books, it's nearly time for the library to close.

I start heading to the front when a book above my head catches my eye. _Yokai and Demons_ it reads. Sighing, I reach for it, thinking it might be good for a laugh. I've never actually read what humans think about demons before.

 _Just a little further_ , I think, stretching onto my tiptoes, but I still can't get the book down. Just as I decide to give up, a hand reaches over me, grabbing the book.

"Here you go." Standing beside me, a pleasant smile on his face, is-

"Shuichi! What are you doing here?" I take the book, setting it on top of my pile.

"I thought I'd pick up a few books for school on my way home. I suppose today is your day off?"

"Yeah," I say, noticing he has a bag from Seventh Leaven. Does he really go there _every day_? "I came here to do some homework. It's a lot nicer here than at home."

He nods. "Libraries are nice." This phrase hangs in the air, and I wait for him to offer more.

When he doesn't, I say, "So, uh, did you get anything good?" gesturing to his bag.

"The usual," he replies. "Would you like something?"

"I'm all right." I shift my bag on my shoulder, looking at the clock on the wall. "If we don't move, the library will probably close on us."

He nods, turning and leading the way to the front desk, a single book in his hand. I can't read the title, but it doesn't look like it's for school. I check out all of my books, dropping as many of them in my bag as I can before we walk out. The only one that won't fit is the book on demons.

Standing outside in the late Spring air, I stretch, feeling stiff from sitting for so long. "What a nice night!"

"It is," he replies. "So, which way is home?"

"Oh, it's pretty far from here. Over by my school."

"Why do you come all the way to this library, then?" he asks. "Isn't there another a bit closer?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't have everything I want, and the seats aren't nearly as comfy." I grin, and he shakes his head, smiling.

"Well, I'll walk with you a little way, if you'd like."

"You don't have to do that," I reply. "I'm not afraid of the dark." I pause, looking down at the ground. "But, if you happen to be walking the same way as me for a bit, I won't be upset."

He smiles softly, and I internally sigh in relief. This...whatever we have going on here doesn't feel like it's only going on its third day. It feels like I've known him for a bit longer. "I think our paths just may be the same for a while." With that, the two of us set off for home, thankfully in the same direction. I don't have to say goodbye just yet.

"So, demons and yokai?"

"What?" It takes me a heart-pounding moment to realize he means the book I'm holding in my hands. "Oh, yeah. I figured it might be an interesting read." For a second, I really thought he'd somehow guessed my demon nature. _That's stupid_. In my human form, my demon energy is non-existent. No one can tell what I am, even if they're trying. Even my healing powers are greatly diminished; I'm probably on the same level of spirit energy as a typical psychic.

"You'll have to let me know if it's any good," he says.

"Will do," I reply, looking up at the stars. "Virgo...cancer...and hydra." I frown. For some reason, I can't find Leo.

"Constellations?" he asks.

I nod. "When I first moved to this area, I found myself looking at the stars a lot. My favorite was always Leo. I think I hoped that a brave lion might give me courage."

"How long have you lived here?"

"Only a few months. It was pretty rough at first, not knowing anyone, but I've managed."

"What about your family?"

"Oh." I stop walking, suddenly thinking of my father's face. Shuichi stops too, looking concerned. "I live alone. My father and I don't really get along, so I left home. He sends me an allowance, but that's about it."

"That sounds terrible. I can't imagine a life without my mother." Neither of us ask the questions that are hanging in the air: Why didn't I mention a mother? Why didn't he mention a father? That's fine by me. The last thing I want to do is sour the air any further by talking about sad things.

"You've brought her up a few times. She must really be amazing."

"She is," he says simply. He smiles, and it's the softest, most sincere thing. I look away, hoping it's dark enough that he can't see the blush on my face. I wonder what it's like to have someone who means that much to you...or to mean that much to someone else for that matter.

We walk in silence for a little while before a shop catches my eye. I stop, eyes wide before immediately walking inside. I pick up the book that was in the window display. "Holy crap, this is out!" I whisper to myself.

"Asaki?" For about two seconds, I apparently forgot I'd been walking with someone.

"Uh, sorry! It's just, this is my favorite book series, and this is the latest book." I only feel a little shame as I try to explain to him.

"That's quite all right," he replies. "I wouldn't come between a fan and her favorite books." The way he says it is a little cheeky as well, and I sigh.

"Yeah, yeah. Make fun of me if you want." I flip the book over, eyes widening at the price. Pulling out my wallet, I find about 500 yen. Not even close to the amount I need, and about all I have until Monday. I set the book back down, sighing. "Maybe later." Turning back to Shuichi, I gesture to the door. "Sorry for the detour."

"Changed your mind?" he asks.

"Nah, I just don't have the money for it right now." School, work, home. School, work, home. The library will probably get that book before I have the money for it.

As we walk, at Shuichi's request, I explain to him that the books are about a girl who goes on an adventure with four other people to save the world from getting destroyed. I haven't gotten very far when it's time to part ways.

"It was good to see you again, Shuichi," I say with a smile. "Thanks for listening to me prattling all this time."

"You're a good storyteller," he replies. "You almost make me want to buy the books myself."

"The library has most of them. You should check one out." We stand there for a moment in silence, before I say, "Well, I guess I'll see you around?"

"Ah, wait one moment." He reaches into his bag from the bakery, handing me something wrapped in paper. "The young lady at the register recommended it to me. I hope it's good."

"You don't have to give me anything, Shuichi."

He smiles. "Consider it a thank you for spending time with me today."

My face goes bright red, and I find myself bowing a little to him. "I feel like I should be thanking you. For everything." I smile, and he gives me one in return. "Have a good night. Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

"Good night, Asaki." He waves goodbye, and I head home, unwrapping the thing he'd handed to me. It was a chocolate croissant. My favorite. "Damn you, Kana." I laugh, taking a bite as I think of the quiet girl recommending something she knew I loved to the guy she suspected I had a crush on. Maybe she's the psychic one.

...

The weekend passes by in a rush, and I don't see Shuichi once. The bakery is booming with business, and by the time I get home at the end of Saturday and Sunday, all I want to do is sleep. Instead, I read. The book about yokai and demons is pretty entertaining, and I find myself taking notes on the most unrealistic parts.

The book assumes that demons and ghosts and such just naturally inhabit this world. There's no mention of Demon World or even Spirit World anywhere. It also says demons only live to cause mischief. As if we don't have lives of our own. I sigh, thinking about the intricacies of demon hierarchy. I used to be a part of the politics involved. I'm nothing but grateful that that's no longer the case.

The only classification system of demons listed is by type, not by strength. Spirit World classifies us, and by that system, they manage Demon world as best they can. Demons range E through S, E being the weakest. Most E demons are either small or human-sized and pretty stupid, living through base emotions and desires. Killing, eating, and fighting are all they can really think about. S is where all of the real power is. A flick of a finger and Earth could be destroyed. That's why the Kekkai Barrier was set up by the king of Spirit World. The Barrier keeps S Class demons and most A Class from leaving Demon World.

I sigh, closing the book and rolling over onto my side. The floor isn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but at least I've got tatami to lay on. If I recall, when I left home, I was a very low B Class demon. It's only been a few months, but I feel like I've probably dropped to C Class. The thought makes me sigh again, and I force myself to get up and find a different book to read.

When Monday comes around, I'm grateful for a new week. The classes are just as boring as ever, the teachers are just as lousy as ever, and Urameshi's back to chasing me like Friday never happened.

This time, I take a different route away from him, climbing a brick wall. I move to jump down on the other side when I'm distracted by bright red hair. I stumble as our eyes meet, causing me to fall face-first onto the ground. _Shoot, this can't be happening._ I get to my feet, not looking his way as I hear Urameshi shout, "Kurama, grab her!"

Kurama? Unbidden, the image of a white fox springs to mind, and I falter for an instant. That's enough time for Shuichi to grab my wrist. I look at him again, silently begging him to let me go just as my pursuer jumps down from the wall. "Okay, Anno, there's nowhere to run now."

I yank my wrist out of Shuichi's grasp as he says, "Asaki...Anno?"

"Do you know her, Kurama?" Urameshi asks, and I flinch, not looking at anyone.

"Yes," is all he says. _Kurama. As in, Yoko Kurama?_ My stomach drops to my feet, and I see those cold golden eyes. My knees give out, and I fall to the ground, swallowing hard.

"Hey, are you okay?" Urameshi asks.

I nod. "F-fine. I'm fine." Shuichi offers me a hand, but I ignore it, getting to my feet slowly. I'm not getting away this time…. "What do you want from me, Urameshi?"


	3. Red and White Foxes

We end up at a diner where the guys order food. I just get a water. It's the first day of the week, and I'm not about to blow my whole allowance so soon.. As I sip on my water, sitting across from Shuichi/Kurama, I avoid eye contact with both guys, waiting for Urameshi to speak. When he doesn't, I get up.

"If you're not going to tell me why the hell you've been chasing me all this time, I'm going to leave."

"Okay, okay, calm down," the guy says, motioning for me to sit. "I was told to follow you for two reasons. One was because you gave off a weird energy signal. Like a demon's."

"Congratulations, we have a winner," I say, crossing my arms. "I just so happen to be half-demon." There's no point hiding it now, and there's no way Shuichi/Kurama hasn't guessed. Especially if: one, this is a conversation Urameshi has no problem holding in front of him; two, he recognized me in my demon form; and three, he actually is that white fox. I look at him out of the corner of my eye, but his cool green eyes are unreadable. He doesn't look the same, not by a long shot, but then again, I've been masquerading as a human all this time.

"How does that work?" Urameshi asks.

"Take a guess," I snap, thoroughly unhappy with the situation. The waitress brings them their food, and I sigh. I'm going to be so late for work.

"What, did your dad bang a human and out popped you?"

I don't remember moving, but before I know it, Shuichi/Kurama has caught my hand an inch from the other guy's face. "Asaki," he says in that calm voice of his. I yank my fist away, glaring at Urameshi's surprised face.

"If you ever talk about my mother that way again, I will kill you," I spit.

"Yeah, I hear you loud and clear," he says.

"Yusuke, what was the second reason?" Shuichi/Kurama asks.

"You know, I don't really get it, myself." This day just keeps getting worse.

"What do you mean you don't get it?" I growl.

"Well, Koenma just told me to catch you. You're on this list he gave me." Urameshi pulls out a wrinkled up piece of paper.

"Asaki," Shuichi/Kurama says. I wish he would stop calling my name. "Your water."

I look down at my water to find it boiling in the glass. I glare at it, and it evaporates in an instant. Grabbing the still-hot glass, I get to my feet. "I'm going to get more water," I grumble, heading to the front of the diner. With one quick motion, I drop the glass on the floor by the door before dashing out into a Spring afternoon.

Mid-stride, I change into human form, sprinting into a nearby store and hiding my face in a magazine. I know they'll chase after me, but all I can think of is nearly 100 years ago, when a fox demon who went by Yoko Kurama nearly killed me. I shudder, thinking of his words. _I'll have use for you in the future._

"Clever disguise, but not quite enough."

"Maybe not for a fox," I say, managing to keep my cool. I knew he would find me. He doesn't respond, and I know I'm right. Shuichi Minamino is Yoko Kurama. What did Urameshi call him? Just Kurama?

"I didn't kill you then, and I'm not going to kill you now," he finally says.

I look up at him, and my eyes start to tear up. If I'd been a demon, I would have evaporated them before they even got the chance to fall. As it is, I wipe my eyes, beyond pissed. "The universe has a sick sense of humor. Here I'd thought I'd found someone I could actually talk to." My voice sounds pathetic, and I hate everything right now. How the hell could someone as lowly as me confide in a legendary demon?

"And because of my past, now you can't?" The expression on his face is unreadable, but it's not unpleasant. I stare at my feet, unable to meet his eyes. "I had hoped we could still be friends."

"Is that what we were?" Half of me still wants to hope. The other half can't forget those cold eyes and his words that day. Is he finally here to make use of me?

"I thought so. And I wouldn't let who you are and where you're from get in the way."

The magazine slips from my hands, and I let out a choked, angry sob. Sly bastard. "I still want to be friends," I croak, my voice rough with suppressed tears. The question is, do I want to be friends with Kurama, or am I still hoping he's just Shuichi?

He extends a hand to me, a soft smile on his face. "I'm glad, Asaki."

"K-kurama," I stutter, taking his hand. It's surprisingly soft and warm. I don't know why, but I thought a ruthless demon would have rougher hands. "You'll have to tell me how you ended up in a human body," I whisper. Despite the demonic aura I can suddenly sense, very very weakly around him, he's definitely a human right now.

"Tomorrow," he says. "I'll wait for you after work, if you want."

I nod, which is when I remember. "Shoot, work! I'm so late."

Turns out, being late for work is enough to get me stuck with cleaning duty for the entire shift.

"You come in here, an hour late and won't tell us why?" Mrs. Tendou had said. "Fine. Scrub the back. You'll sweep the sidewalk and wash the windows when you're done."

I took my punishment with a heavy sigh, wishing Kurama hadn't stopped me from hitting Urameshi. I think he'd make a good punching back. It's dark when I'm done scrubbing the inside, and I make my way out, thinking about the handsome red-haired young man and how he must have already passed this way when a voice says, "Good evening, Asaki."

I jump, swinging my broom which the speaker deftly blocks with one hand. Shu...Kurama's eyes are wide with surprise, and I lower my broom, taking a step back. I'm trying not to see a malicious, cold demon when I look at him, but it's hard. So hard.

"Sorry," I mumble. "You startled me."

"One of these days, I'll be able to approach you without you tripping or trying to attack me," he says, smiling. I can tell he's teasing, but after today, I'm not really in the mood for jokes.

"Kana's on register," I say, pointing to the girl with the straight, black hair. "And Haruka's on the floor." Haruka waves through the window, her blonde hair catching the light. She's half-Japanese, so she really stands out in a crowd, though I can't say much. My own demon hair is dark red. Kurama's is lighter, and I wonder if he often gets comments about it.

"And you're on cleaning duty."

"It's your fault," I mutter. "Couldn't just let me run away."

"Yusuke would have caught you sooner or later. He told me he's been chasing you for a while now."

"That is correct, but I've been evading him all this time." I sigh, sweeping a little. "Anyway, if I get caught chatting, Mrs. Tendou will yell at me again."

"Right, sorry about that." He waves to me before stepping inside the shop, and I watch him go, my heart doing weird flips in my chest. The only problem is, my crush was on Shuichi Minamino. So, who the hell is Kurama, and how does he fit into my life?

….

I met Yoko Kurama at a party nearly 100 years ago. Maybe "met" isn't the right word. More, I caught him stealing from my father.

The party was a gala being held to celebrate my father's latest business venture in Living World, despite the party being held in Demon World. For all his talk of valuing his human business partners, he still thought demons superior.

I'd been standing at the front of the hall, slightly behind my soon-to-be-fiance Hide, when everyone who had been invited was introduced. That was why, when Hide went to socialize and Father went to make sure something was going as planned, I saw someone who hadn't been presented to us.

He was tall with long white hair and fox ears. He was also making his way up the main stairs, somewhere no guests were allowed. I followed, not knowing at the time that the man I would soon come face-to-face with was a famously merciless master thief.

The floors in the mansion are made of marble with plush carpeting in the hallways, covering the middle of each. I could hear my own footsteps making soft crunches in the carpet, but his steps were soundless. He walked with confidence, as though he knew exactly where he was going. I followed with maybe a little too much carelessness. He knew I was following him; I could tell, so I figured there was no point in trying to be sneaky.

He turned a corner, and when I did the same, before I could even react, he'd grabbed me by the throat, slamming my head against the wall. Tears pricked my eyes, blurring my vision, but I'd long since stopped feeling such small amounts of pain.

I would never forget the first time I looked into those cold, golden eyes. They were the eyes of someone who took whatever he wanted and killed whenever he pleased. Merciless. A chill tripped down my spine, but I wouldn't look away. Fear rankled through me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but even I knew it wasn't the right kind of fear. I wasn't afraid he was going to kill me. I was afraid he would make too much noise doing it. If I was going to die here, I wanted it to be quiet and quick. That way, when they found me, it would be much too late to save me.

Much to my dismay, he let me go, taking a step back. "Run along, little girl," he'd said. His voice was so low and cold, nothing like the Kurama I know now. He dismissed me with a glance, turning and walking down the hall once more.

Something in me snapped at that moment. I was so pitiful that not even a ruthless murderer would kill me. So, I pushed him, as hard as I could. He stumbled, which I was not expecting, knocking into a small decorative table with a priceless vase on top. The vase fell to the ground with an ear-shattering sound, and the fox turned to face me, surprised. I would later learn that he was not someone people ever surprised. Ever.

In one swift motion, he grabbed me by the front of my dress, yanked me into the nearest room, and once again, slammed me against the wall, his fingers closing around my neck. I could feel him tighten his grip, but it didn't hurt. Even as I started crying, I could feel no pain. Nothing but the blissful embrace of death.

He let go once again, and the world came rushing back to me. I sank to the ground, looking up at him, confused.

"You're pathetic," he said, shaking his head, but the words didn't have as much sting as the first thing he said to me. I think he actually pitied me. "To embrace death so willingly." He turned, making his way to the door and saying, "I will not kill you today. I'll have use for you in the future." And then he left.

I cried, alone in that room. I don't know how long I spent in there, sobbing my heart out, but by the time my tears were spent and I finally left, the party was over. I picked up a piece of the broken vase, slowly making my way to my room and changing out of my dress. I tucked it away in a special place and would not wear it again.

As I sat on my bed, I found myself staring at my oldest stuffed animal...a red fox. I grabbed it, pulling it close to my chest as I made a decision that would change my life.

The next day, I learned that Yoko Kurama had broken into the mansion, undetected, and stolen my father's priceless Tenebral Amulet. It was an item that could shroud the user in darkness whenever he wore it. I didn't really know what use someone as confident, powerful, and sneaky a renowned fox demon would have with that, but it occurred to me later that maybe it was just something he stole because he could.

After the initial chaos died down, I started training. I was a D Class demon as was my father, but my fiance was a low C Class. That meant I had to become stronger than him if I wanted to make this work.

It was hard at first. When I told people who I was, they tried to charge me exorbitant amounts for their services. I did that exactly once, and the training was a joke. After that, I merely told people my name was Asaki. When they pried further, I offered them nothing.

My favorite teachers were the ones who asked for nothing in return. They merely wanted a good excuse to fight, and a punching bag they could not hurt or permanently injure was a curiosity. It took a long time. I was so slow to learn, and I could only train in secret and when my father or then-fiance didn't require my presence. I also had to pretend that I was spending my time doing things more befitting of a daughter of Demon World's richest businessman. If a single word had gotten to my father, he would have locked me up for good.

The servants noticed, however. The way I carried myself changed. I walked taller, more confidently, and where once the servants would address me with sad expressions on their faces, for they pitied me too, they now spoke to me with respect. Even my servants paid more attention to me than my own father.

It had taken me 99 years to finally reach low B Class. When I did, I approached my father and Hide, telling them that I would not marry Hide and that I intended to leave the mansion and start my own life. They laughed.

Hide reached for my shoulder, his usual condescending move, but I grabbed his hand my the wrist, shoving it away. He narrowed his eyes at me, stepping forward. I knew he'd expected me to take a step back. Instead, I swept his leg out from underneath him, knocking him flat on his backside.

He got to his feet, fury pouring out of him in waves. I could feel him tapping into his demon energy. It was laughable compared to mine. How had I once been so afraid of this man? When he pulled out a knife, suddenly I could remember. However, for the first time since I'd met the monster before me, the sight didn't frighten me. It made me angry.

I raised my hand, melting the knife in his palm. He screamed, trying to free the mass of melted plastic and metal from his skin, but I gave him no time, instead roundhouse kicking him in the head. He fell to the ground, dazed, and as I looked down on him, suddenly, I was overwhelmed with pure, unadulterated hatred. This was a man who had tormented me for over a hundred years, tortured me in a way that should have broken my sanity. But, it didn't. I was stronger than him, and now I could prove it by slaughtering him.

If it weren't for the strangled sound my father made just then, I would have. I would have killed him in cold blood right then and there. I looked from my father to my ex-fiance who was looking up at me like he'd never seen me before.

"Please," he whispered, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Please, don't kill me." He was trembling like a leaf in the wind, and suddenly, I thought about Yoko Kurama again, and I wondered what he thought when he faced me as I welcomed death. _This is worse_. _Wanting death and begging for life… Between the two, the latter is more pathetic._

I spat on the ground by his head before making my way upstairs. I packed only the clothing I'd bought with my own money, a locket with a picture of my mother in it, and my stuffed fox, and then I left, making my way to Living World. When I got there, I found a place to live and paid for the initial rent by selling the clothes I'd brought with me. They were worth more to me as cash then clothes anyway.

My father found out where I was living and sent me an allowance with a letter. It read:

 _I'll be sending you money every week until you come to your senses and come home. Send me word when you wish to return, and I will welcome you home._

 _Toro Anno_

I ignored it, and while the money kept coming, I never got another letter.

Now, as I sit on the floor in my house, I reach over, not looking, and grab my stuffed red fox. His name is Shiro, which, I think is ironic, all things considered. He's probably older than this apartment building, but he only looks maybe ten years old. When I had first gotten him, the person who gave him to me had told me he was held together by magic.

Now, I'm more apt to believe it than I was then, as he's still in one piece. Sighing, I squeeze him tightly before chucking him across the room. He bounces against the wall, falling to the tatami with a soft _swuff_.

Tomorrow, I will ask Kurama all the things I've wanted to ask him since that terrifying, fateful day. Back then, I was so far beneath him, I was sure he'd forgotten me, just a random incident on a list of successful robberies. Now, I'm not sure. He remembers. Not only that, but he wants to be my friend.

Crawling over to Shiro, I hold him close to my chest, praying for the world to make sense again.


	4. Answers

Urameshi isn't at school today, which is both typical and relieving. I'm not really sure I want to face him after yesterday. He's probably figured out why he was sent to chase me, and I don't think I want to know.

The walk over to the bakery is peaceful without having to worry about being chased, but it's also a bit...lonely? I laugh at myself, making a few passersby look at me. Something is seriously wrong with me.

I get the usual welcome back, and Mrs. Tendou puts me straight to work. Like clockwork, Kurama comes in at his usual time, and everyone greets him. He gives me a smile when he sees me, and I force o0en in return, still not feeling quite right. I'm nervous. It's been 100 years….

"Asaki, you can take your break now!" Mrs. Tendou yells from the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am," I reply. Looking at Kurama as he finishes his purchases, I say, "Do you want to…?"

"That's all right with me." We leave together, and I have a feeling that Haruka and Kana will bombard me with questions when I return. I wonder what I'll tell them as they jump to all the wrong conclusions.

The two of us walk together in silence for a little while, before he says, "Would you like to go to the park?"

"Sure," I mumble. He leads the way to a park not far from work with lots of open, green spaces. Instead of picking any of those to stop at or even a bench, he chooses a giant tree to sit under. I settle down beside him, keeping a foot between us.

"I hardly think this is how friends behave," he says, his voice somehow both teasing and concerned.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, pulling my knees to my chest. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."

"I don't blame you. I've been doing plenty of thinking of my own." He closes his eyes, face tilted up toward the leaves above us. He really does have a handsome face. His features are so fine it's like they were chiseled out of marble.

I kick off my shoes, letting my stockinged feet rest in the grass. "Tell me a story, Kurama," I say, trying to relax as best I can.

He chuckles softly, and I wonder what he's thinking as he begins. Apparently, fifteen years ago, he'd been seriously injured running away from pursuers. He'd decided to hide in the unborn child of Shiori Minamino, essentially becoming Shuichi at that moment. He'd intended on only spending 10 years in the human world, but he'd grown fond of his human mother and has been here ever since.

When his story is over, we sit in silence a little longer before I sigh. "And thus I wandered into the life of the great Kurama yet again."

"I wouldn't say great. And it's more that you tripped."

"Hey!" I say, elbowing him. We're both smiling, and I feel a little lighter. Just a little. "Kurama...tell me something."

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you kill me all those years ago? Was it really because you thought you'd have a use for me?" I can't look at him as I say those words, suddenly dreading the answer. It has been so very long since that day. Maybe he didn't even remember.

"I've lived a long time," he starts, his voice slow and measured. "In all my years, I've never seen someone so willing to embrace death. It...surprised me? Saddened me, certainly. Maybe it was cruel of me, but I decided to deny your wish. I did think, maybe one day I would find a use for you. That was also cruel of me. People are not tools."

That had been roughly what I was expecting. What I'm not expecting is him to go further. "However, I've never been easily surprised. When you pushed me that day, it was a shock, and I didn't know what to do. It was...a good feeling, I think. I'd been so set in my ways for so very long, and here you were, the spoiled daughter of some businessman, daring to come after me. It changed many things in my mind."

"You did the same for me," I reply. He looks skeptical but he doesn't say anything, so I continue. "Really. Yoko Kurama is the only reason I'm alive today. You gave me the courage I needed to get out of that house. I spent every second I could training so that I could earn my freedom."

I chuckle darkly, shaking my head. "It infuriated me, the thought that you found me too pitiable to kill. I think part of me wanted to make sure if we ever met again, I would be more worthy." This is harder to explain than I thought, admitting these feelings to the man beside me.

"Sorry to disappoint," he says, smiling at me, "but I have no intention of harming you in the slightest."

"Don't worry about it," I reply. "I haven't thought like that in a while. Really, what it became was a reason to believe in myself...to fight for myself. I owe you my life." Which is surprisingly true and not something I'd planned on admitting. "I-if you ever need anything, just ask, okay?" How sad is that? As if I could ever do anything for THE Yoko Kurama.

He nods. "I'll count on you, then." Imagine that. Kurama himself saying he'll count on me.

The sun is getting low in the sky, and I sigh. "It's probably time for me to go back to work."

"I didn't mean to take your entire break," he says. "Have you eaten anything?"

"I usually just get something cheap from a convenience store on the way back. How Taro Anno's daughter has fallen!" I cry with bravado, a wry smile on my face.

"Not at all," he says, shaking his head. "I think, like a phoenix, you've been reborn. Given another chance."

A blush trips across my cheeks, and I run a hand through my hair. "Thanks, Sh...Kurama."

"You don't have to force yourself, you know. If it's easier for you, call me Shuichi."

"Nah, it's okay." I stand up, brushing the grass from the back of my skirt and slipping my feet back into my shoes. "I like Kurama better." I grin, and he smiles in return, his eyes crinkling a little this time.

He walks me back to the bakery, but before I go inside, he says, "Oh, that's right. I have something for you." Reaching into his bag, he pulls out-

"Kurama," I breathe, thoroughly surprised.

"For you." He hands me the book we'd been talking about on Friday, the one I'd wanted so very badly.

"You didn't have to do that," I say, shaking my head, even as my whole body is filling with happiness.

"No, but I wanted to. Have a good night, Asaki."

"You too, Kurama." I smile at his retreating form, hugging the book to my chest.

The next two weeks go by in a blur of classes, work, and studying. School, work, home...Kurama. I'd spent four months in Living World following my three word mantra, the same routine every day, but ever since Shuichi Minamino...ever since Kurama came into my life, nothing has been the same. Sometimes, it's just the bakery where I see him. Other times, he finds me in the library, studying my heart out. I think those days are my favorite because I get to talk to him without the prying ears and eyes of the bakery girls. I really like Kana and Haruka, but how can I tell them what I think of Kurama when I barely know myself?

He's charming and handsome, funny and wickedly smart. He's also incredibly kind…. Maybe too kind. I sometimes think he's far too good for me. The Legendary Bandit Yoko Kurama shouldn't really be associating with weird half-breeds like me…. The only thing that manages to make me feel better when I think like that is seeing him again.

It's on a Friday, while thinking about how red and pink and green probably shouldn't go together so well, that I almost bump into another customer while carrying a bunch of boxes.

"Sorry!" I cry, looking around them to find a woman with long dark hair, probably in her late thirties, early forties smiling at me.

"That's all right, dear," she says, still smiling. "Do you need some help?"

I set the boxes down, cracking my back as I stand up. Ah, human things. "I think that's my question. What brings you in today?" I didn't think I'd ever seen her before, but she still felt weirdly familiar. Maybe she was somewhat regular, but not enough that I would recognize her. She's got these scars on her arms that send a shiver up my spine. What could have done that?

"Well, my son always tells me good things about this place, so I thought I would check it out."

I nod my head, smiling. I'd meant to put on my salesperson smile, crafted from many days spent trying to please people, but something about this woman makes me smile for real. She just exudes...I don't know, really. I can't put my finger on it, but...she makes me feel comfortable.

"Well, we've got plenty of options, from Japanese to Western. What does your son usually get?"

So, the two of us walk around the shop, picking out a few things. When we're done, she frowns. "There was one more thing...oh, I can't remember what he said it was. They were my favorites, though."

"What do they-"

"Everybody freeze!" At times like this, I wish I spent more time as a demon or trained my human form to have an ounce of spiritual awareness. If I had, maybe I would have noticed the two guys walking in before they pulled out guns, pointing at each person in the store in turn.

It's only me, the woman, Kana, Haruka, and Mrs. Tendou in the back. Someone should warn her.

One of the men, a balding, older guy with a mustache holds out a bag to Kana who is shaking like a leaf. "Put the money in the bag!" he shouts. Mrs. Tendou pokes her head out of the kitchen, and the second man points his gun at her.

"Get out here." She does as he says, standing by the counter as Kana fumbles with the register, tears in her eyes. "Anyone else in here?"

"No," Mrs. Tendou says. "Just us."

"Come on, you bitch!" the first man says, as Kana still fumbles with the drawer.

"Let me." The men turn to face me, glaring.

"What did you say?"

"She's obviously too frightened to do anything. Allow me."

The second man nods to the first before grabbing my arm and shoving me toward the register. As I get closer, I crinkle my nose. This other man reeks of sweat, and he's got rough-looking stubble on his face. His hair is thinning, and his glasses are covered in tape to hold them together.

I take Kana's hand, giving her a small smile before pushing her over to Mrs. Tendou. The older woman wraps her arms around Kana who cries softly.

"Get a move on!" the sweaty man says.

"Hold your horses," I mutter, opening the register. I upend the drawer into the guy's bag, and he steps away, still holding the gun in my face.

The second man looks around, then points at the nice woman. "You. You're coming with us." She's shaking too, I notice, but her head is held high as the man walks toward her. "Can't have you guys calling the cops before we can get away."

I calculate the distance between me and the two robbers, running scenarios in my head. On a scale of 1-10, if my demon form's strength is a 10, my human form's is a 3. However, these guys are somewhere in the negatives. I don't want to die like I used to, but I will not let these men hurt anyone here.

As the balding man takes a step toward the customer, I spring into action, kicking the gun out of the hand of the man with the money. He stares at me in surprise as I punch him as hard as I can in the face and then kick him in the gut, knocking him into the door leading to the back. He doesn't get back up.

Moving quickly, I whirl around to face the other guy who points his gun at me. He fires, and I try to dodge, but I'm not fast enough. The bullet hits me in the side, and I flinch, but I keep going, kicking him squarely in the face and ripping the gun out of his hand. When he tries to move toward me, I shoot the wall directly behind his head, making him freeze.

"Move again, and I'll blow your head off, you son of a bitch," I growl. He stays put, and I take the gun and crack it over his head. He collapses to the ground, also unconscious. Breathing heavily, I drop the weapon, my side prickling with discomfort. Sometimes, I wish I could still feel the pain. It would have been a good indicator of how hurt I am.

Haruka is at my side in an instant, using her apron strings to tie the unconscious man's hands together. The nice woman rushes to me as does Mrs. Tendou after she ties up the other robber.

"Are you all right?" the woman asks, her hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I groan. I can't feel the pain, but my body still responds the normal human way. "Someone needs to call the cops."

"On it!" Haruka says.

I slide my blood-stained apron off, lifting the edge of my shirt to see the wound. It looks nasty, and I think the bullet might be lodged inside. It won't heal properly if I can't get that out, and if I don't soon, I might pass out from blood loss.

"I need a knife," I say, heading behind the register to find my purse. I fumble around a bit before pulling out the small pocket knife I carry with me.

Mrs. Tendou gasps. "What are you doing?"

"Gimme a second." I turn away from them as the Lead Baker grabs my arm.

"Asaki, don't you dare. Just wait for an ambulance." She's still shaking, her face pale as flour.

"I've done this before," I lie. "Trust me." With that, I dig the knife into my side, fishing around. It doesn't take long to find the bullet, as it isn't wedged deep. I push it out, and it falls with a _clank_ to the floor. "Better," I sigh, lowering my shirt and letting my healing powers kick in at last. It's much slower in my human form, but I should be back to normal in ten to twenty minutes.

Mrs. Tendou is staring at me, wide-eyed. When I try to give her a smile, I start feeling woozy and my legs give out. The kind woman catches me, and lowers me to the floor. She doesn't look scared anymore, just worried for me. "Stay here, dear. Should we make a tourniquet?" This question isn't directed at me, but I answer anyway.

"The bleeding's almost stopped. I promise, I'll be okay."

"You took a bullet! For me!" The woman shakes her head, tears in her eyes. "You were so brave."

"Kick ass, more like!" Haruka says, coming back into the main room. "I've never seen anything like that outside of a movie. Where did you learn that?"

"I had a few teachers," I huff, a tickle tripping up my side. "I'm a little rusty."

"If that's what rusty can do, I'd hate to be the one to fight you in your prime."

The police come shortly after that, an ambulance right behind. The officers take the two men into custody and question us about what happened. When the paramedics come to check on me, the bleeding has stopped, and the wound is nearly closed.

"No, thank you," I say to their offer to take me to the hospital. I can't afford something like that, even if I do need it. Not that I ever have or will. This healing power of mine doesn't come in handy often, but when it does, it's in spades.

After assuring the paramedics and everyone else multiple times that I'm fine, they finally leave; it's just the staff and the nice woman left behind. "You should call someone to come and get you," I tell her as Mrs. Tendou starts cleaning and getting ready to close. The whole place is shutting down early after that incident.

"You're probably right," the woman says. "I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable walking home after that." She uses our phone, and then everyone wishes Mrs. Tendou a good night.

Kana and Haruka leave us as I tell them I'll wait for the nice lady's escort to come.

"Be safe!" Haruka says, "And go to the hospital if you start feeling bad!"

"I will!" I lie, smiling and waving. Kana doesn't say anything, clinging to Haruka like a leaf to a tree branch. Poor thing. I hope she's okay.

"You don't have to wait if you don't want to, though I do appreciate the company," the woman says.

"It's not problem," I assure her. "I don't live too far from here, anyhow, and it's still pretty light out."

"Are you sure you're all right?" she asks again.

"Fine, fine. I can barely feel it. Although, I don't know if I'll be able to get the blood out of this uniform." Haruka had leant me a change of clothes that I fully intend to use once I send this woman on her way. Walking home covered in blood would raise a lot of questions.

I look down at my bag as an all-too-familiar voice shouts, "Mother!" The woman in question is suddenly hugged my none other than Kurama himself. He's holding her like she's his entire life, and I stare, brain-addled at the sight.

When the two break apart, he's still looking at her, holding her arms. "Are you all right? You're not hurt anywhere?"

"I already told you, Shuichi, I'm fine. This young lady saved me." The woman, who I realize now must be Shiori Minamino, gestures to me, and Kurama sees me for the first time.

"Asaki?"

"Hi, Shuichi. You, uh, didn't tell me your mom was so pretty."

"Do you know her, Shuichi?" Mrs. Minamino asks.

"Yes," he says, looking me over. His eyes linger on the blood on my uniform, and I find myself wishing I'd changed sooner. "She's the one who makes those cookies you love."

"Are you really?" she asks, smiling at me. "Shuichi's been singing your praises for a while now."

"Oh, no, I...um…." I'm blushing bright red, which, in hindsight, is terrible timing. My knees give out, and I fall to the ground, groaning. "Not again."

"Oh, dear!" Mrs. Minamino and Kurama both kneel down beside me. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I am, really. Just, tired." My side wound is fully healed, but unfortunately I can't really make all of my blood suddenly return. All of this would have been easier if I could be a demon right now. I push myself to my feet, stretching my hands above my head. "See? All better?" They don't look like they believe me. "I could start doing cartwheels?"

"I think we can pass on that," Kurama says, fighting a smile. "Are you hurt?"

"Mm-mm," I reply. "A bullet grazed me, but I'm fine. The robbers were pushovers." I roll my shoulders, smiling.

"If you were hit by a bullet, shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

I can't blame them for being concerned, and I wish I'd explained to Kurama about my healing powers, but that doesn't stop me from being agitated. "I already got the bullet out. It looks a lot worse than it is."

They look at me as if still uncertain, so I roll a cartwheel, throwing my hands up in the air when I finish. Mrs. Minamino stares at me wide-eyed, but Kurama starts laughing this wonderful laugh. It makes me grin, and my heart beats a little faster for it, erasing all of my earlier irritation. I made Kurama laugh….

"Well," Kurama's mother says, smiling now, "that was something else." She claps her hands together and then says, "Why don't we get some dinner? I could use good food after a day like today."

"That sounds wonderful," Kurama says. "Will you join us, Asaki?"

"I'm all right," I say. I can't really afford dinner anywhere other than a convenience store. He knows that.

"Please?" Mrs. Minamino says. "It'll be my treat to thank you for saving my life."

"I-"

"Please, Asaki? We'd love to have you," Kurama adds.

The identical looks on their faces are what do me in. "Okay, okay. But, let me get changed first. I don't think going anywhere like this is ideal." I gesture to the blood stains.

"Oh, good," Kurama's mom says.

I dash over to the nearest place with a bathroom, changing into Haruka's spare clothes. I wish I'd looked at what she was giving me, although I didn't really have the right to be picky. It's a red sundress with short sleeves and a skirt that flares out and rests just above my knees. I haven't worn something like this in a long time, and I feel really self-conscious as I step out to meet the pair awaiting me.

"That looks very sweet on you," Mrs. Minamino says.

"Think so?" I tug on the hem of the dress, sighing. "It's not really my style."

"It looks lovely," Kurama says, and I blush.

"Th-thanks." I turn away from them, looking up at the sky. It's starting to get dark, and the stars are coming out. Today, I find the faint outline of Leo, and I wish for him to give me courage to handle one wily fox and the unknown that is his mother.

"So, where are we going?" I ask.

"I know a great ramen place," Kurama says with a sly smile.


	5. Frosted Roses

Turns out, a great ramen place means the shop owned by one of my classmates' parents. Keiko Yukimura doesn't recognize any of us when we come in, which is understandable on my part, but I wonder why, when Kurama said he knew her, she didn't know him.

We sit at a table toward the back, and I sigh, feeling out of place.

"So, tell me about yourself, dear," Mrs. Minamino says. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"Asaki Anno, but please just call me Asaki." I don't know if I can handle another person calling me Anno.

"All right, Asaki," she says, smiling kindly. "Where do you go to school? I don't think I recognized your uniform."

"Sarayashiki Junior High," I tell her. "I'm a third year."

"Oh, so that makes you just a year under Shuichi." She smiles at her son, and I'm blown away by the motherly love in that expression. Did my mom ever look at me that way before she died?

Yukimura comes over to take our orders, and I get the cheapest ramen on the menu, something that doesn't go unnoticed by Kurama. He doesn't say anything, but the look on his face is thoughtful. I fiddle with my napkin, trying to avoid his far-too-perceptive eyes.

Things are awkward until the ramen arrives, me answering the standard "getting to know the friend of my son" questions and Kurama watching with a bemused expression, occasionally adding where my explanations are lacking. Once the food arrives, I pick up my chopsticks and begin eating, relieved to have something else to do.

"Oh, my," Mrs. Minamino says, and all I can think is, what have I done now? "You have such pretty table manners."

"Uh...thank you?" That is not what I'm expecting, and my face goes red again. Something about that comment makes me feel a little warm inside in a way I'm not familiar with. After that, the conversation flows more naturally, and I start to enjoy myself. It's not hard to see how being raised by this incredibly kind and sweet woman could change Kurama like it has. The magic of a mother's love?

Mrs. Minamino excuses herself to go to the restroom, leaving me alone with Kurama who's got the most unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" I ask him, crossing my arms petulantly.

"I was just wondering if it would ever be possible to repay you for saving my mother."

"It really wasn't that big of a deal," I say. "There were only two guys, and they were pretty weak. I didn't even know she was your mother either."

"That makes it perhaps even more incredible. You risked your life for a stranger."

"It wasn't all that," I say. "Look." I take a small pocket knife out of my purse, flicking it open and cleanly slicing my arm.

"Asaki!" Kurama hisses, shocked. He takes the knife from me, and I stare at him in surprise even as the cut heals in seconds.

"I have healing powers?" It comes out as more of a question because I'm still in shock at his reaction.

"Don't do that again," he says, dropping the knife on the table in disgust. "I don't care what you're trying to demonstrate." I've never heard his voice so low and dangerous-sounding before, and it makes me shiver.

"Sorry," I mutter, grabbing the knife, wiping the blood with a napkin, and slipping it back into my bag. "A-anyway, that's why the bullet wound was no big deal. My healing powers are far weaker in this form, but they suffice for minor injuries."

He nods, sighing. "I apologize for startling you."

"No, it's my bad." I sigh. "I can see why it might bother you, but really, I've been hurt more times than I can count and they always heal…." I trail off on the last word, my mind suddenly going to dark places. A sharp knife. A dark room. And….

"Asaki?" I blink, and suddenly I'm looking up into Kurama's concerned eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" I realize tears are pooling in my eyes, and I swipe them away, confused. "I don't really know. Sorry."

"It's all right," he replies, but his frown says otherwise.

Mrs. Minamino comes back, and we wrap up dinner, which is probably for the best. That whole endeavor was really strange. We part ways outside the shop, me begging off on them walking me home.

"I can take care of myself," I say, forcing a smile.

"You certainly proved that today," Mrs. Minamino says. "But, please, be careful."

"Of course. It was nice meeting you," I say, bowing.

"Likewise."

"Thank you again, Asaki," Kurama says. "Have a good night."

"You too, Shuichi," I reply, remembering to use his human name. He smiles, and I turn and walk away, waving over my shoulder. My human form is starting to itch a little, and I want to become a demon again. The only problem is, my demon form wants to burn.

…

When I was little, I couldn't control the shift between human and demon forms. It led to a lot of embarrassment for my father and trouble for me. He often kept me confined to the house, but that only helped so much. As a powerful businessman in both the Demon and Living Worlds, people talked about the man who locked his daughter away.

That was around the time he tried two different things. The first was a suppressive necklace he had me wear. Whenever my human form threatened to emerge, it would hold it back, sending electric shocks through my system until the urge had passed. This, however, also caused people to talk. Now, I was the girl who had seizures, for the spasms the shocks sent through me resembled them..

When father was tired of people thinking of his daughter as unwhole and no one wanted to be seen with her, he tried a second approach: training. He brought in tutor after tutor, people who supposedly had "seen cases like this before" or had "fixed many a half-demon", "curing" them of their "human problem". None of them helped. Eventually, I had to take it upon myself to learn what I could do, not for my father or anyone else, but for myself. This random shifting had to stop.

It was hard, but after a year of serious focus, I managed to control the change 8 times out of ten. After three years, I was a master. Father paid whatever tutor I had at the time a massive sum. I never told him that the tutor had done nothing at all. He wouldn't have believed me.

The other problem I often faced, and still do, is the need to burn. I don't understand why I was born with healing powers, but my true nature is a fire demon. According to one of the instructors I had when climbing my way to B Class, I have the potential to be incredibly powerful, something he couldn't say for most of his students. However, my control, once again, is lacking.

In demon form, sometimes I just burn for no apparent reason. My whole body is surrounded by flame. It's not hot enough to burn me, but it's set blankets and beds, wooden floors and books on fire. Countless things have gone up in smoke because of the burning. Whenever it happened at home, my father would punish me. Apparently, he'd never heard of such a problem and decided I was doing it on purpose.

Yet another thing I had to learn how to control with no guidance. This one wasn't nearly as easy. In the end, all I've been able to do is recognize the feeling of burning and isolate myself. Nearby bodies of water are the most useful in keeping things from burning, but abandoned parking lots have had to suffice in Living World.

That's where I sit right now, having only left Kurama and his mother a half hour ago. I sit, meditating as the fire rages around me. There will be scorch marks on the pavement when I'm gone. I can't quite stop those.

The sky is alight with tiny stars, pinpricks of fire, and I find myself wondering what it would be like to be one of them, never having to worry about whether or not they burned. Being on fire incessantly sounds nice every once in a while.

Once the burning stops, I slowly get to my feet, sighing. If only I knew someone who could teach me how to control the fire, someone who could help me fix the itch in my human form and teach me how to become more spiritually aware as a human. Shaking my head, I skip the rest of the way home. Foolish thoughts it does not do to dwell on.

…

When I get to the bakery on Saturday morning to open, I'm assaulted by...hugs? Kana and Haruka throw themselves at me, holding me incredibly tightly as Mrs. Tendou, her husband, and Fujiwara standby, watching.

"Asaki! You're okay!" Haruka squeezes me tightly before she and Kana both step back, Kana holding onto one of my hands.

"I'm fine," I say. "Don't make me prove it." While hugs aren't naturally repellent, I'm not used to being touched. It makes me a little uncomfortable.

"I won't!" Haruka laughs, holding up her hands in a surrender gesture.

"Kana, are you all right?" I ask. She's still got my hand in hers, and when I question her, she drops it like she hadn't realized she was holding it.

"Y-yes," she mumbles. "Thank you."

"We're all thanking you with this," Mrs. Tendou adds, gesturing to her husband, Hiro Tendou, a very sweet man who handles all the finances of Seventh Leaven, occasionally dropping in on weekends to help out wherever he can. He's holding something huge in a box which he extends to me. I take it from him, lifting the lid to find a huge sheet cake with chocolate frosting and red letters that read "Our Hero, Asaki!". Red roses adorn the corners, and the edges are iced in red.

"Guys," I say, feeling incredibly embarrassed. "What on earth?"

"It's the least we could do to thank you for saving us," Haruka says with a grin. "We all helped make it."

"More or less," Mrs. Tendou adds, grinning. "I baked the cake, Kana made the frosting, Kai did the lettering, and Hiro did the flowers."

"Then what did Haruka do?" I ask.

"I suggested the colors!" she replies, smiling. Then, she leans in and whispers, "Brown for your hair and red for your boyfriend's."

"Haruka!" I say, my face turning as red as the cake. "He's not my boyfriend!" To which she just laughs.

Setting the cake aside, we get the shop ready for opening. Saturday's are short shifts, and when it's over, we celebrate, managing to devour half of the cake. It's chocolatey and moist, and although I've had gourmet desserts from all over the world, courtesy of my upbringing, this is the best thing I've ever tasted.

However, not even that could have surprised me as much as what happened while the cake was being handed out. Fujiwara was cutting the cake, and as he gave me my piece, he said, "Asaki."

I nearly drop my slice, but I managed to hold on, instead hesitantly saying, "Kai?" He nods, and I take my plate, smiling as I settle in beside Haruka and Kana. Apparently, today is going to be a really good day, which is nice. I could use one of those every now and then.

We split the rest of the cake into two smaller boxes and bag it so it'll be easier to carry home, and then everyone says their goodbyes as we close the shop for the day. I decide to go to the nearby park, the book Kurama had given me in hand. I haven't gotten a chance to read much of it, and I'm looking forward to sitting outside and tearing through it.

Settling under the biggest tree, I put the cake to one side and start to read. It's such a beautiful late Spring day, with just the barest hint that summer is around the corner. If this book wasn't so good, I might have fallen asleep.

I get through two chapters when a voice says, "Mind if I join you?" I look up to see Kurama smiling down at me. I've never seen him wear anything other than his school uniform, and it does strange things to my heart. He's wearing a long-sleeved lavender shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and slacks. It makes him look a lot older than fifteen but no less attractive than usual.

"Nope," I say, patting the ground next to me. He sits down, pulling out a book, and we read together in companionable silence. After a while, my stomach growls a little, and I sigh, ignoring it.

"Hungry?" Kurama asks.

"Apparently. I may just eat some cake, though. I don't really feel like getting up."

"Cake?" I heft my bag onto my lap, pulling out the boxes and showing him.

"Everyone at the bakery chipped in to make it for me as a thank you for yesterday."

He looks at it for a moment or two, his gaze lingering on the one rose that hasn't been eaten yet. "So, you'll accept their thanks, but when my mother offers, we have to nearly fight you?" There's a teasing light in his eyes, and I have to resist the urge to stick my tongue out at him.

"How do you know they didn't fight me for this?" I ask him, smiling down at the cake. "If your mom wants to bake me a cake, I won't refuse it."

"I'll have to let her know."

"Don't you dare," I say, shifting the cake boxes to the ground and snatching his book out of his lap. After squinting at it, I sigh. "This is in English, isn't it?"

"Yes," he says, sounding thoroughly amused.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a jerk?" I ask, turning the book upside down and pretending to read it.

He chuckles. "Me? What have I done to you?"

"Beats me," I reply, smiling wryly.

Before he can offer a rebuttal, he looks up, noticing someone walking toward us. I follow his gaze to see a young man approaching. He has black hair and big glasses that he pushes up his nose at least once on the way over. Something about the way he carries himself irks me.

"Hanging out with your girlfriend, Shuichi?" he sneers as he comes closer. He stops in front of us, crossing his arms like he thinks he's just said something clever.

"Good afternoon to you as well, Kaito," Kurama replies. "Allow me to introduce you. This is my good friend, Asaki."

"A pleasure," he says, his voice reminding me of someone talking with their nose plugged.

"Asaki, this is Yu Kaito, a classmate of mine."

"Likewise," I say, forcing a smile.

"Your book is upside down," he says to me, his voice horribly condescending as he looks me over, immediately writing me off as inferior.

"I am aware," I reply, voice as dry as possible. "I'm stupid, not illiterate." Kurama chuckles as I hand him his book back, Kaito at least having the decency to look a little embarrassed. I notice Kurama doesn't turn the book rightside up.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to leave. I'm sure Kaito didn't come over here just to ask about your love life," I say to Kurama, getting to my feet. His face is inscrutably pleasant, so I can't tell if he doesn't want me to leave him with Kaito or not. That's his fault for being so hard to read.

"Oh, here." I hold out the two boxes of cake. "Pick one. I can't finish the whole thing by myself, and you can always share with your mom."

"That's kind of you," he says, smiling. He takes the box nearest him, and I bid him and his classmate goodbye, sincerely hoping that's the last I see of Yu Kaito.

* * *

 **AN: So, a few things: I've aged up Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko. In the manga the story starts with them in their second year of middle school, but I'm chucking them into their third year for reasons. Secret ones. Also, it's safe to assume, for the purpose of my story, that everyone lives within reasonable walking distance of everyone else. Makes things easier on everyone for meeting up. I also know Kurama says he's never spoken to Kaito before the incident in the Chapter Black Saga, but I threw him in early for some tension and mild expository purposes. Asaki's backstory is slowly coming out of the woodwork, and I'm happy she's becoming a pretty solid character. Thanks for sticking around!**


	6. Two Left Feet

I decide to go for a run to get the feel of Kaito's judging stare off me. My human form could use a good workout anyway. As I run through this part of town, I make my way toward the river, thinking there will be fewer people to avoid out there.

This, for the most part, is true. However, I'm no more than a half-hour into my run when I see a small group of people up ahead. My first instinct is to swerve around them until I notice that it's three guys and they're all facing one girl: Keiko Yukimura.

As I approach, the backs of the young men facing me, I overhear one of them say, "-that girl who hangs out with Urameshi."

Yukimura, hands on her hips, says, "And what if I am?"

"Then I think we ought to, well, send a message to your good buddy." The guys laugh, and they all take a step toward the girl, who, to her credit, doesn't back down.

However, while I don't doubt her tenacity, I do doubt her ability to take on three guys at once. "Excuse me," I call, making the guys turn. "Can I get through, please?"

The three turn to face me, sneers on their faces. "Can't you see we're busy?" the first one says, a dim-looking guy with buzzed hair.

"Harassing an innocent girl, yes. However, she needs to get through too." I push past the guys, moving to stand in front of my classmate.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" one of the guys says, grabbing for me. I smack his hand away, moving into a fighting stance.

"About to kick your ass if you don't leave us alone," I reply.

One of them grunts, and they come at me. I fight them off, wondering what Yukimura must be thinking about random strangers coming to help her. I swear, I _will not_ make a regular habit of this whole "saving people" business. It's just because I happen to be in the right place at the right time. Or wrong, I guess.

When they're all laid flat, I brush off my hands, turning to face Yukimura. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," she says, sighing.

"You must get that a lot, being friends with Urameshi and all." I don't know why I said that. I don't know this girl, and I have no business prying into her life.

Before I can apologize, she shrugs and says, "Sometimes, I think it's more trouble than it's worth." Her voice is so flat and irritated, but I can tell she doesn't really mean it. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

"I came into your ramen shop last night," I tell her.

She nods, but she's still looking at me like she can't place me. "Where do you go to school?"

"Sarayashiki," I say out of habit, not realizing that she wouldn't have seen me there. I use my demon form at school. Crap.

"Maybe I've seen you in the hallways, then," she replies.

"P-probably."

"My name is Keiko Yukimura," she tells me. "But most people just call me Keiko."

"Asaki," I say. "Nice to meet you." And, unlike with Kaito, I mean it this time. "Anyway, I'll probably see you around."

"Right," she says, still with that same expression on her face. What is it with people and giving me weird looks today? I jog on past her, looking back once to make sure she's on her way. I thought today was supposed to be a good day.

After running for another 30 minutes, I figure I've done enough for the day. Stepping into the nearest grocery store, I catch my breath, thinking I'll do some shopping if things are cheap enough here.

I've never really liked grocery stores. Too many people, too much fake lighting, and too many products all crammed in one space, set up to entice. I don't have the money to waste, but if I did, I'm sure this kind of place would be where I'd waste it. To be fair, it's not like I have a lot of space at home for excess food.

I hum as I walk down aisle after aisle, basket in hand, grabbing the bare essentials and a few things on sale. Stepping down one aisle, I see Kurama's mom climbing one of the shelves, trying to reach something on the very top. Just as her hand touches what she needs, she loses her footing and falls...onto me.

I grunt as we hit the ground, my basket slipping out of my grasp and spilling my stuff everywhere. Mrs. Minamino leaps up, turning to see me on the ground, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Asaki! Oh, my goodness, are you all right? Did I hurt you?" She offers me her hand, a worried look on her face.

I take it, rubbing my backside. "I'm fine. Are you okay?" She nods, and I see she's still got what she grabbed in her other hand. It's a weird-looking box of candy. Shiori Minamino has a sweet tooth.

"Fine, thanks to you. Here you are, saving me again." She smiles, and I find myself feeling both warm and embarrassed from her words.

"It's no big deal," I reply, looking down at my basket.

"Oh, let me help you!" Mrs. Minamino sets the candy in her cart and helps me gather my things, as few as they are. I find myself glad I didn't get anything that would suffer from being dropped. When I'm all back together, she says, "I'm so sorry, I've gone and troubled you again." She bows a little, and I put up my hands, almost defensively.

"No, no, really, it's fine. You don't need to apologize to me." I sigh, uncertain what to do. Most of the adults I've interacted with in my life were either pretentious assholes or boring pricks. I've never had to deal with someone who's just unerringly kind. How do I behave? What do I do?

Kurama would be laughing at me right now.

She smiles, saying, "I'm relieved you feel that way." After a moment of silence she adds, "You know, there were so many questions I wanted to ask you last night, but I couldn't because Shuichi was there."

I frown. What kind of questions could she want to ask that she couldn't in front of her own son? "Um, ask away?" I might regret those words.

"Well, for starters, when did you say the two of you met?"

"Um, maybe a month ago?" I can remember the day I met Shuichi Minamino very well, but it feels like I've known him much longer than just a measly month. As for Kurama...I doubt his human mother knows anything about his demon nature.

She doesn't say anything immediately, her face creased in a frown, thinking. "You know, the two of you seem rather close for only a month."

I shrug. "We just kind of hit it off. He's very kind and friendly, I think."

She nods. "Shuichi's a sweet boy. I've always hoped I've done right by him, taking care of him after his father died. It's been hard, but he never complained."

"I can't imagine he would have. He cares for you very much."

"I'd like to think he does," she says, frowning.

"Trust me on this one. I've never seen a person who loved his mother so much." She looks up at me, her face almost...hopeful? "The very first day I met him, he talked about you. The next day too, actually. And maybe the day after that? I've lost track of how many times you've come up in a conversation."

I grip the handle of my basket tightly between my hands, thinking. "When he came to get you last night? I've never seen him look so upset until he'd made sure you were okay and so relieved once you were. He didn't even notice I was there until after that."

Shiori Minamino is someone I've known for a very short while, but she's not hard to read. When I tell her this, her face lights up in a smile so bright it could shame the sun, and I know she believes me. For whatever reason, she's put her trust in a stranger.

"Thank you, Asaki. That's so nice to hear. And I'm sorry if my son has caused you any trouble. He's headstrong and stubborn."

I smile. "He's no trouble. Quite honestly, every time I meet him, it feels like he's saving me from something. Usually, it's just my two left feet." We laugh, and Mrs. Minamino and I walk down the grocery aisle together. I think I have everything I need, but I don't really want to part ways just yet.

"He's a handsome boy," Mrs. Minamino says, and I nod before I realize what I've just done. She looks at me with a wry smile, and I hold out a hand to stop her.

"Th-that is...I mean, he is handsome, but I don't...I mean…." Crap.

She laughs. "It's all right, dear. I promise I won't tell him."

"I think he already knows. I'm not very good with people, and he has this way of throwing me off that makes me say more than I necessarily want to."

She nods. "I understand that. He means well, he really does." Picking up something from the shelf, she asks, "Does he know you've got a crush on him?"

And I drop my basket again. "Wh-what? No, no, I don't have crush on him."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, dear," she says, picking up my basket.

"I really...I mean, I don't know." I take my things from her, staring at the rice sitting on top. "Promise you won't tell him?"

"Cross my heart," she replies, smiling.

"I really don't know how I feel. I think I had a big crush on him at first, but then...something happened that made me see him in a different light. I think I'm dangerously close to just putting him on a pedestal, and that's not a healthy way to hold any relationship."

Did that just come out of my mouth? "S-sorry!" I cry, bowing. "That was a bit much." Is that really how I feel? The words feel true, and I really haven't had much chance to explore the difference knowing who Kurama is has had on my life. Half of me would gladly put him on the pedestal if only so that I could remind myself how out of reach he is.

Pretty stupid of some weird half-demon to have a crush on THE Youko Kurama. It would have been different if he was just Shuichi Minamino.

"It's all right, dear," Mrs. Minamino says. "You must hold Shuichi in very high regard."

"I do," I mumble, looking down at my hands.

"There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you can keep your head on your shoulders. A girl in love is a strange thing. Sometimes dangerous even."

"Love is a strong word," I say, my voice coming out a bit harsher than intended. "I've never-" I grab my basket tightly, cutting myself off. _I've never loved or been loved_. Maybe Kurama isn't the only one who gets people to say more than they mean to.

She frowns, looking away from me as she says, "So, any thoughts on where you want to go to highschool yet?"

"Somewhere close to home and cheap," I reply. "I'm at the top of my class, so, I'm hoping to get a scholarship. That'll be the deciding factor."

"Is that so?" she says. "Shuichi's the same way, the best in every subject. I don't know where he gets that from, honestly." Maybe it's a mom thing that the conversation keeps going back to her son. "Any interest in Meiou?"

I sigh. "It's on my list of exams to try for, and it fits most of my criteria." A scholarship there, with my grades, wouldn't be too hard to get, even if it is a pretty top notch school.

We make our way to the front of the store and check out, keeping up a stream of thankfully Shuichi-free chatter and, when we're done, we head out of the building. Just as we're about to cross the street to where Mrs. Minamino's car is parked, she doubles over, her breathing heavy.

"Mrs. Minamino!" I cry, bracing her against me.

"I'm all right," she pants, taking a deep breath and slowly straightening up. Her face is strained, sweat beading on her forehead. "Really," she says to my skeptical face. "I'm still recovering from being rather sick, that's all."

I nod as a strange feeling trips up my spine. Like I'm being watched. I help Kurama's mom to her car, loading in some groceries and sending her on her way. It isn't until the car is out of sight that I turn toward the source of the feeling….

No one's there.

* * *

 **A/N: Shiori is a wonderful mother who I feel would not be above trying to set her son up with someone. I'm so excited that I get to make a character out of her. She'll be around a lot, so I hope everyone can enjoy having her play a part. Things are coming to a head at last, and we'll meet up with the anime plot in the next chapter. Stick around!**


	7. Done by Halves

Sunday morning finds me jogging around town after having done some stretches and exercises. It feels good to be training again after all this time, like I'm sliding back into my skin. After having spent so many years molding my body into fighting form to reach B Class, it feels better to be doing things again.

It's as I'm heading past the bakery that I feel a strange itch on the back of my neck. I smack where it itches like a bug bite, but when I pull my hand away, there's nothing there. Shuddering, I move to run when my eyes lose focus. I fall to my knees, feeling like I'm going to throw up.

Then...my body kind of...half-shifts? I don't know how to describe something that's never happened before, but it feels like half of me goes demon, and the other half is still human. It fades in an instant, and I'm all human again, but I don't feel right. Slowly, I get to my feet and walk through town, wondering what just happened.

That's when I spot Urameshi and Kuwabara talking to a girl with blue hair. The girl points to me, and the delinquents frown. "Asaki!" Urameshi yells.

"What?" I snap back.

"Well, damn, it is her." That's when I remember he's never seen me in human form before. Crap. I could have just kept going.

"No way, Urameshi," Kuwabara grumbles. "I thought that girl in our class had dark red hair."

"Yeah, well, she's a half-demon."

"Why are we telling my business to everyone?" I ask, stalking over to them, trying to ignore the weird feeling that won't leave me.

"Well, since Botan feels the need to blab to everyone, I figured why not me too?" he says, hands behind his head in a relaxed pose.

I sigh, looking over at the blue-haired girl who must be this "Botan" he's talking about.

"Pleasure to meet you at last, Asaki!" she says, right on cue. "The name's Botan! I'm a friend of Yusuke's."

"That's one way to put it," he grumbles. "More like a pain in the ass."

"Urameshi! You can't talk about a girl that way!" Kuwabara snaps at him.

"I can talk about her however I want. I'm not the one in love with her," he teases, a grin on his face.

"Shut up, you punk!" Kuwabara grabs Urameshi by the front of his shirt, and I run a hand through my hair. I really don't want to deal with this right now.

"All right, boys," Botan says. "We've got business, remember?" She turns to me as Kuwabara lets Urameshi go. "I don't suppose you'd mind helping us out?"

"Depends on what you need," I say, deciding that flat-out refusing might not be the best idea. This girl gives off a weird vibe. While my human senses are poor, she doesn't feel normal to me.

"Just a teensy favor. If you help us out, Spirit World has promised to forgive the crimes you've committed."

My mind immediately flits back to a black-haired demon, and I suddenly want to punch something. "What do you want from me, Botan?"

Bile rises in my throat that I swallow down as she speaks. Whatever is wrong with me, I need to fix it, or I won't be of any help to anyone.

"Follow me, and I'll tell you on the way." So, the three of us walk after the blue-haired girl as she explains. "The Four Saint beasts, I'm sure you'll have heard of them, have unleashed Makai insects on the humans of this city. They're all turning into mindless zombies. It's up to Yusuke to fight the Beasts and return the humans to normal before they start killing each other."

"Sounds fun," I deadpan. The Four Saint Beasts...four nasty demons that have holed themselves up inside a place called Maze Castle, surrounded by a ghoulish city. They're not anyone I'd want to trifle with, that's for sure. "What do you want me to do?"

We step into a creepy-looking warehouse, and Botan says, "Well, I'm hoping you'll accompany them and put your healing powers to good use."

"Healing powers?" Urameshi asks.

"Asaki Anno is a fire demon with an unusually strong gift for healing," Botan explains, sounding like she read that out of a book or a file somewhere. Maybe she has, if she works for Spirit World.

"I might be," I add, frowning as I swallow down more bile. My skin is starting to tingle, and I think I might half-shift again.

"Anyway," she says, banging on the floor of the warehouse, "please say you'll go with them? Pretty please?" She hits a spot, and a panel lifts like a small door. "Bingo." She lifts it up to reveal a nasty looking portal.

"You _are_ going to give us a rope ladder or something?" Urameshi asks.

"No," Botan says casually. "Jumping down should land you safely on the outer bank of the city." She looks up at Kuwabara and says, "You know you don't have to go through with this if you don't want to. No one will hold it against you."

"Oh," Urameshi says, hands in his pockets. "Okay, goodbye."

"Not _you_ ," Botan replies, sticking out her foot to trip him as he tries to step. "The Spirit Detective does not have a choice in this." He falls on his face, and I chuckle. Botan looks up at me again. "So, will you go, Asaki?"

"On one condition," I reply, shuddering.

"What's that?"

"Tell me, what does it feel like when you've been bitten by one of those insects?"

She stares at me, confused. "Well, I've been told it's a feeling like your skin crawling. You get nauseous and dizzy, and then you'll turn into a zombie."

"Shit," I mumble, and my body half shifts, my hair turning fiery red for a moment before returning to brown, and I fall to my knees.

"I knew something wasn't right!" Kuwabara says, kneeling down beside me. "You got bitten!"

"Botan, I thought you said depressed people were the most vulnerable!" Urameshi growls.

"They are," Botan replies, slowly.

"L-lucky me," I stammer, a violent shiver racking through my body. I spit out some bile, almost laughing. This is the closest I've been to actual pain in well over a century. Close, but not quite. "I'm not exactly the happiest person in the world."

"What do we do?" Urameshi asks. "She can't go like this." As he says it, my body half-shifts again, and I feel fire in my hands before I revert to being fully human.

"You're right." Botan groans. "All right, I'll look after you. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly what will happen to you, seeing as you're only half human."

"This week just keeps getting better," I grunt, my body feeling weak. Maybe I'll turn into a zombie. Could be fun, not having to think for a while.

"Well, I guess the only way to make her better is to go find that stupid whistle." Kuwabara gets to his feet, putting a fist to his chest. "Don't worry, Asaki. I'll find it and break it and then I'll come back for you, okay?"

Why does that sound like a threat? I nod, half-shifting again, bile rising in my throat. "Good luck," I spit out as he jumps into the hole.

"Wow," Botan and Urameshi cry. They clamber to the edge of the hole, and half of me kind of wants to push them in. Maybe, like, a third.

"He really jumped," Botan says, surprised.

"Maybe he'll be okay alone," Urameshi mumbles. Botan gives him a death glare, and he quickly cries, "Okay, okay."

"Oh, and here!" She pulls two disks that look like compact mirrors from the front of her jacket. "Communicators!"

"Geez! You nearly forgot to give me this thing? Let me guess, I could have been killed without it, right?" he shouts, snatching it from her.

"No," she replies. "It's just a communication mirror. We can use it to keep in touch while you're down there."

"Yeah yeah, leave me on your own while you go and do other things." Suddenly, Urameshi's face grows pale. "Oh no!"

"What?" Botan asks.

"Keiko! I just dumped her off at the movie theater. Will you take care of her for me?" he says, sounding panicked before jumping into the portal.

"Yusuke! I don't want to do that!" Botan cries, but he's already gone.

"You guys sure picked a winner," I mumble, resting my back against a wooden box. The shifting has subsided at least for now, and I gulp a breath of air. My mouth tastes vile, but at least I'm still cognizant.

"Well, he hasn't failed us yet," Botan says, still staring down at the portal. She sighs. "Asaki, I really don't know what to do about you. Maybe Koenma has a better idea of what to expect."

She flips open her communicator, and a toddler appears on the other side, a pacifier bobbing in his mouth. I snort, closing my eyes, suddenly tired. "That's Koenma?" Every demon knew of King Enma and his son who ran Spirit World and were responsible for regulating the three worlds, more or less. For Demon World, a _lot_ less. That world really has its own laws, and as long as it doesn't make too much trouble, Spirit World pays it little mind.

"Yes," a child's voice snaps at me from the other side of the mirror.

"Koenma, sir, do you have any idea what we can expect from her?" Botan asks, getting right to the point.

"Not a clue. I'm having someone look into it right now. At the moment, stick around. You've got guests incoming. Friends to help out Yusuke."

"Yes, sir," Botan replies, closing the mirror. "He must mean Kurama and Hiei."

My stomach flips, but it has nothing to do with the Makai insect. "Kurama _and_ Hiei?" Could this day get any worse?

"Do you know them both?" Botan asks.

I try to get to my feet, my knees weak. I have to support myself on a stack of boxes, but I manage to remain upright. "Unfortunately."

"Well, they'll be helping the boys out, and a good thing too, since you can't."

"Oh, darn," I drawl, not really meaning it.

Botan sighs. "Why are all of you so difficult to deal with?"

"I'm not really in top form," I reply. "Get back with me on a good day." I half-shift, my legs giving out. I'm going to end up with bruises. Footsteps make me look up, and I sigh as a pair of demons step into view.

Hiei, a four-foot something with tall, spiky black hair and a headband around his head snorts, Kurama at his side. "Where are the humans, girl?" Hiei asks Botan.

"Good to see you too, Hiei," Botan says. "They're already down there."

Hiei's gaze sweeps over me, and he scoffs. "You look as pathetic as the last time I saw you," are his words.

"And you're a short as ever," I snap.

"I was wondering what you'd be doing without that fiancé of yours to hide behind," he says. "Apparently, the answer is cowering on the floor of warehouses."

"I swear, I will hurt you," I grunt as I half-shift.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asks, his face contorted with worry. He kneels beside me as it happens again.

"She was bitten by one of the Makai insects," Botan says.

"Which means you have the spiritual awareness of a flea," Hiei jabs.

"I know that!" I growl, my hands burning. "Shoot," I grunt, looking at my slightly blackened hands. "I shouldn't be able to do that as a human. That's the second time.

"How did it happen?" Kurama asks.

"I keep shifting into a demon, but not all the way. It's like because of the insect, my body refuses to fully change. But, parts of me will shift. I guess it was my energy that time." I try to heal my hands, but nothing happens. Looking up at Kurama, my heart beating fast, I put a hand on his shoulder, trying again.

"That's not good," I reply, taking my hand away.

"What is it?" Botan asks.

"I can't heal," I say, half-shifting again, my stomach lurching. I jerk away from Kurama, upending the contents of my stomach.

"Don't worry about her, boys," Botan says, not sounding very convincing. "The sooner you destroy that Makai whistle, the sooner she'll be okay."

I wipe my mouth, my hand trembling. I've never not been able to heal before, and I can't stop shaking. Fear trips through me. Swallowing, I get to my feet, meeting the eyes of everyone in the room. "No worries," I say, forcing a smile. "Just go do what you have to and come back safe."

Hiei scoffs, jumping into the portal, but Kurama hesitates. Looking at him, I remember what I told his mother yesterday about putting him on a pedestal. I grab my left arm with my right hand, staring down at the ground. When I look up again, he's gone.

"Well, at least that's going right," Botan says, sighing.

"Forgive me for going wrong," I mumble, grimacing. The weird dizziness has subsided for now, and I get to my feet. "So, what are your plans while they're doing that?"

"I was planning on exterminating some insects and preventing the humans from hurting each other if possible, but I'm not sure now."

"Don't let me stop you," I say. "How can I help?"

"I really don't know that you should be on your feet like this," she replies, sounding worried.

"You brought this to my attention, so I'm not going to sit around and do nothing. I definitely can't fight other demons like this, and I can't heal anything. The only thing I might be able to do is kill bugs and knock out some humans. If only I could see the damn things." I try to force a shift into demon form, but it makes me queasy, so I stop.

"Oh, wait!" Botan reaches in her pants' pocket, and I wonder if they aren't bottomless as she pulls out some glasses. "Specter Specs!"

"Specter Specs?"

"Glasses that allow you to see things that normal humans can't. With these, you should be able to see the insects."

"Brilliant," I reply, starting to feel a little better about this whole ordeal. At least now I can do something to help. I take the glasses from her, sliding them on my face and striking a pose.

She laughs. "They look good on you."

"Why, thank you," I reply. "Now, let's squash some bugs."

...

Botan gives me a communication mirror and a map, and we split up to cover as much area as we can. Apparently, humans bitten by the insects turn bluish and revert to their basest desires, which typically means destroying and killing. It took some convincing to get her to let me go on my own, and she only agreed after I promised that I would call her if things got too much for me.

With these Specs on, I can see the little bugs everywhere, and it makes me regret, yet again, how blind I am in my human form. The bug spray Botan gave me kills the bugs instantly, making that, by far, the easiest part of the job. What is a bit harder is dodging the zombie humans.

When I think zombies, I picture slow-moving brain eaters. These are less zombie and more mindless minion. One of them came at me with a baseball bat, hitting me squarely in the back. I'm pretty sure it left a bruise that I CANNOT HEAL. It's agitating. I may have knocked him out a bit too hard.

This is made only more difficult by the fact that I'm still half-shifting and feeling nauseous off and on. It's a small hell, but squashing the little bastards that caused it is doing wonders for my mood.

After maybe an hour or so of this, a call rings in on my communicator and I flip it open to find Urameshi glaring at me. "Good to see you too," I tell him. "Glad to see you're still alive."

"Ha ha. Careful or you're going to start sounding like Botan. Speaking of which, why the hell aren't you with her?"

"Because we can cover more ground this way," I reply.

"Which would make sense if you weren't half-zombie."

"I am one hundred percent zombie, thank you very much," I say, spraying an insect as it makes its way toward me.

"I thought you couldn't see those," he grunts.

"Notice the nifty new glasses," I reply. "Anyway, shouldn't you focus on the task at hand?"

"Well, excuse me for worrying about my moron of a new teammate."

"I don't recall signing up for that," I say.

"Same here," Kuwabara says, his face popping into the frame.

"You're the idiot who jumped first," Urameshi retorts, pushing him out of the way.

As much as I appreciate both his concern and the comedy skit, I can feel a half-shift coming on, and I have company. Four infected humans are moving toward me fast. "Sorry, guys, I've got to go." I close the mirror, sinking into a ready stance. Just knock them out and move on.

I move to punch one in the face when my head spins, and I stumble, receiving a sharp kick in the head. I fly back, landing on my rear as my vision continues to swim. I retch as blood drips down my face. That's new.

I half-shift, getting to my feet and landing a dizzy punch on one guy, wiping the blood out of my eyes. Head wounds bleed like no one's business, and this one is living up to that reputation. I don't have time for a concussion, and I wish I could change into demon form for real. At least that one doesn't react like a human body does.

I take out the other three, making my way into a shop and into a bathroom where I wash the blood from my face. I still look pretty rough, but somehow, my glasses remain unscathed. Sighing, I head back into the fray.

This goes on for I don't even know how long, and I'm starting to lament an entirely wasted Sunday when the people who were attacking me suddenly stop. They blink in unison before turning and walking away. Panting, I follow them, wondering what's going on. Zombies don't just give up on something for no reason.

They make their way to my school, and I wonder who the heck would be there on a Sunday. Maybe some teachers. Student council members. Overzealous class reps…. I have a bad feeling about this.

I vault a low wall, landing wrong because of a sudden dizzy spell and rolling onto my back. I lay there, breathing deeply until the dizziness fades. My communicator rings, and I pull it out of my pocket.

"Yo?" I say, my voice sounding as good as I feel.

"Asaki?" It's Botan, and she's running. "You look rough."

"Thanks," I reply dryly. "What's up?"

"Where are you?"

"School."

"Oh, thank goodness. The infected humans are after Keiko!"

"I had a feeling," I say, forcing myself upright and to my feet. I sway a little but manage to stay vertical.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine. I'm going to find Keiko before something bad happens to her. Where are you?"

"On my way!" I close my communicator and break into a run. Keiko's no slouch when it comes to sticking up for herself, but I think these guys will be too much for her.

Running along the wall of the school, I spot her being cornered by some teachers. "Run, stupid legs!" I shout, even as exhaustion makes it harder and harder to move. Just as one of them goes to swing at her, I grab his fist, throwing him off-balance and stepping between the others and Keiko.

"Get out of here!" I yell at her, turning to face down my favorite teacher, Mr. Iwamoto. I'm going to enjoy knocking his lights out. Keiko looks at me for a moment, so I push her. "Move! That way!" I point toward where kids park their bikes, thinking maybe she can take one and get out of here.

She runs, and I raise my fists, but the teachers don't want anything to do with me. They follow Keiko.

"Dammit," I mumble as I grow dizzy again. A few half-shifts keep me from moving, but when they're done, I press on, hoping to find her before they do. With my glasses on, I spot her energy mixed with...Botan's? Thank goodness they're both together.

Mr. Iwamoto pulls apart the bushes where they're hiding, pulling back his fist. He's too ready to hit kids for my taste. He punches, and I hear them scream, but before he can go any further, I grab him, yanking him back before jumping through the bushes after the girls.

"Botan! We've got to move," I shout at her.

"Right!" She grabs Keiko's hand, and I follow behind, keeping my eyes out for anyone getting too close. My communicator goes off again, and I flip it open to see Urameshi's face. "Bad time!"

"Where's Keiko?!" he cries.

"She's safe, she's fine. Botan and I have things under control," I say, hanging up on him. I have to stop as I half-shift again.

"Asaki!" Botan cries, and the pair stop as well.

"I'm fine!" I call to them through my nausea. "Keep going!"

"I-"

"Just go!" They run on, and I dry-heave, almost glad I have nothing left to throw up. Someone grabs me by hair, yanking me up. I find myself looking up into Iwamoto's soulless eyes. He scoffs at me before letting me go. I can't catch myself, falling to the ground with a _thud_. He thunders past with a few more people, and I dry-heave again before forcing myself to my feet.

I chase after them only to be grabbed by Botan. "Come on!" I follow behind her and Keiko again, and we head inside the school, making our way to a phone.

Keiko tries to dial for help, but it doesn't work. "They must have cut the phone lines," she says, looking a lot less shaken than someone who's being hunted should.

"They're getting smarter," Botan replies.

"They've gone past just being mindless zombies. They have a purpose now," I add.

"Oh, good," she says. Both of them are eyeing me.

"What?"

"You look like you're going to faint any minute," Botan says.

"Worry about Keiko," I snap.

"If you insist."

"Let's try the teacher's lounge," Keiko says, and I'm grateful she's got ideas. I think that kick to my head addled my brain. I really don't have time for a concussion right now. "Maybe someone in there can help us."

"I've always loved the way you think!" Botan says, smiling. Unless these two have known each other for a while, that's kind of creepy to say.

We run to the teacher's lounge, the three of us stepping inside to find Principal Takenaka sitting inside. "Mr. Takenaka!" Keiko says, and we approach him. However, as we get closer, he slumps forward in his seat, unconscious.

"That's not good," I say, turning to find Mr. Iwamoto right behind us.

* * *

 **A/N: Plot! Thank goodness, I was getting worried. So, we're going to be following the Four Saint Beasts Arc here, so, there's direct quoting from the show. Next chapter will have that too, so bear with me. From here on out, Asaki's story will be weaving between the actual plot of the anime/manga. It took a while, but finally, the gang's all here, and I'm looking forward to where they'll go together!**

 **YYH is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi (duh :P)**


	8. As Hard As You Can

I swing at him, grunting when he catches my fist with a grin. "Looks like Yukimura isn't the only cockroach around here," he laughs, a wicked grin on his face. He squeezes my fist, and I feel my bones complaining, but he can't do anything to me. Nothing that will hurt, anyway.

Unhappy with my lack of reaction, he grabs a pair of scissors from Principal Takenaka's desk, ramming them into me just above my right collarbone. I wince as the blood pours out, ruining yet another shirt. My body half-shifts, and I swing at him with my demon strength, making him let me go.

Yanking the scissors out, I chuck them across the room as my strength returns to human levels. They fly through the window, shattering the glass, causing enough of a distraction that the three of us can run without getting caught.

We run as hard and as fast as we can, but at every new hallway, more of the infected people show up. There's no end to them. The three of us stumble upon a dead end, and we turn to face the hoard, me standing in front of the other two.

"You can't fight them by yourself," Botan says, a hand falling gingerly on my shoulder like she's afraid of hurting me. "I'm surprised you're still standing."

"Doesn't matter," I reply. "You gave me a job, and I'm doing it." Why am I being so stupid about this? What do I owe Keiko and Botan? Absolutely nothing, and yet, the thought of either of them getting hurt makes my heart clench. Why?

"Look, I'm the one these creeps are after," Keiko says. "Let me lead them to one side, and you guys can run." Wow, she's got guts. I guess she'd have to in order to keep Urameshi's attention.

"Now, Keiko," Botan replies. "We're all reasonably athletic girls. I'm sure we can find a way out of this."

"Honestly, I was hoping you wouldn't choose that option," Keiko says. I laugh, the motion stirring up all of my wounds. I hope my head doesn't start bleeding again; my shoulder won't seem to stop.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Botan asks, looking at Keiko.

She gives a grimace of a smile. "We separate on three." I wish I could think straight. My head feels like it's in a fog, and my human body is running out of strength. I have to keep pushing it until I can't anymore. For Botan and Keiko...and even for that idiot, Urameshi.

On three, Keiko runs to one side, and the people follow. I move with her, fending them off. Botan grabs the fire extinguisher, spraying all of the infected with it, and the three of us run once more.

My body half-shifts, but I keep moving, pushing more and more. We turn down a hallway to find Mr. Iwamoto once again. He's more insect than person with how annoying he is right now. He grabs Botan, lifting her high. She screams, struggling, but when I take a step to help her, my world spins, and it takes all my strength just to stay upright.

"Botan!" Keiko pulls her hand back and smacks the teacher so hard across the face that his head snaps to one side, and his body goes flying.

"A stellar hit, Keiko! You should fight on the boxing team!" Botan cheers, throwing out a victory sign with her fingers.

I chuckle as Keiko says, "I just hit a teacher."

"He deserved it," I pant, smiling.

"Come on," Botan says, and we keep moving. I'm pretty sure I'm running on sheer adrenaline right now. We're pursued, and one of the teachers manages to grab Keiko, another stupid pair of scissors in his hands. I've never wanted safety scissors in my school so badly since I've been here. He skims her arm, and she screams, Botan yanking the two of us toward a room.

We run inside, and she locks the door. "We're coming to get you, Yukimura," Mr. Iwamoto's voice sounds from the other side of the door. "Do you know what happens when you hit a teacher?" He shatters the glass in the window of the door, and the other teachers hit it, trying to break in.

"Well, we'd better think quickly," Botan says.

I look around the room, at a loss, until I spot a cabinet. "In there." I push Keiko, and she climbs inside, followed by Botan.

"What about you?" the blue-haired girl asks.

"I'll pass. I hate small, dark spaces. Besides, I've spent most of my life hiding." Giving them a smile, I close the door. I stand in front of it, arms crossed as the door to the room slowly but surely cracks.

The teachers step inside, smirking at me. "Time to get rid of a bad egg," Mr. Iwamoto says.

"I agree," I say as they get closer. The doors behind me bust open, and Keiko and Botan jump out, wielding brooms. Botan hands me one, and the three of us hit the people with all we've got in us. As they fall, we make a mad dash from the room.

"We have to get out of here," Botan cries.

"We're on the second floor," I grunt, my body growing heavier by the moment. "The stairs are just around the corner."

As we approach the hallway, I hear a sharp _thwack_ as a metal pipe strikes Botan in the head. She falls into Keiko's arms, the pair sinking to the ground.

"Dammit," I grunt, standing in front of them. I don't have any energy left, but my body can still take a beating. I'm like the world's best punching bag. It's all I've ever been good for, and it's all I ever will be. At least now, it'll come in handy for someone other than myself.

I've done a lot of stupid, selfish things in my life, things I've regretted all this time. Maybe, here and now, I can make up for them, if only just a little. "Come on!" I scream at those gathered around us.

Mr. Iwamoto just laughs. "Time to exterminate the cockroaches." He punches me time after time, and I take the blows, trying not to laugh as tears fall.

"Stop!" Keiko screams, and suddenly, I feel this force emanate from her. It feels warm and safe, but it crackles like lightning. I can see Urameshi's stupid, smirking face as Iwamoto drops me to the ground, stepping back with a grunt of pain.

I pant, spitting blood as I force myself to my feet. "I hate you, you son of a bitch," I grunt, grabbing the still-reeling teacher and punching him as hard as I can squarely in the face. He goes flying, and I grin. "That felt...really good." I fall to the ground, my body convulsing once...twice...and then I gasp, coughing up a small Makai insect.

"You little shit!" I snarl, smashing it as hard as I can. It dissolves into nothingness, and I breathe raggedly, my body burning like every inch of me is on fire. It doesn't hurt...it's more...familiar. My healing powers are back.

I tap into my spirit energy, relieved. I reach over to where Keiko is still holding Botan. "Here." Touching her hand, I push as much as I can spare into her, and she blinks, eyes opening slowly.

"What…?"

"My healing powers," I grunt. "Which means…." Looking around us, there's nothing but passed out teachers, their skin back to its regular shade.

"Oh, what a relief!" Botan cries.

My communicator goes off, and I flip it open and choke on blood as a pair of green eyes meets mine. "Asaki!" Kurama looks up at me, surprised. "You're bleeding."

"Yes," I reply. "But everything has calmed down around here." I cough, blood dripping from my mouth. That's great. It's a good thing I'm not trying to impress him or anything. I'm no expert on trying to charm a guy, but I'm 90% sure blood coming out of one's mouth isn't attractive.

"We defeated the Saint Beasts, so all of the infected humans should return to normal."

"That's great!" I say, smiling weakly.

"We'll head back shortly. Will you meet us at Kuwabara's home?"

"I'll let Botan and Keiko know. I'm sure they can get us there." A shudder trips down my spine, and my eyes lose focus.

"Asaki, don't push yourself. You look half-dead."

"I might be," I reply, smiling dully. "I can barely reach my healing, and I don't have the strength to change into demon form. I'm stuck like this until I pass out." I laugh weakly. Kurama opens his mouth to speak, but I shake my head. "See you in a bit." I close the mirror before he can say anything else, looking up at Botan and Keiko.

"So, Yusuke's okay?" Keiko asks, eyes wide with tears. I nod, and she wraps her arms around me, crying. "I'm so glad." I grunt, and she immediately lets go. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's f-fine," I gasp. My healing is so weak after all of that, but it's better than nothing. "They're going to meet us at Kuwabara's."

"I can get us there," Keiko says. "Can you stand, Asaki?"

"Let's find out." I push myself to my feet slowly, but the world spins. Before I can fall, two pairs of arms catch me. "That's a no," I mumble to Keiko and Botan.

"Don't worry," Botan says. "We've got you."

I look into her purple eyes, surprised. Glancing over at Keiko, I'm impressed to find they have the same determined look on their faces. I hate depending on others, but I don't have much of a choice right now. "Sorry to trouble you," I mumble.

"You're no trouble, Asaki," Botan says. "You've more than proven yourself, in my opinion, and I'm so glad you were here to help me."

"Me too," Keiko says. "Thank you so much!"

Speechless, I laugh, tears falling from my eyes as the three of us slowly make our way out of the school and, presumably, to Kuwabara's.

When we get there, Kurama and Hiei are talking to a woman with straight brown hair. She hefts an unconscious Kuwabara on her shoulder, practically dragging him into the house. As we get closer, Keiko makes sure Botan and I are okay and then she runs over to an unconscious Yusuke being lowered to the ground by Kurama.

Botan helps me over to the group, as the woman comes back out of the house. She and Keiko grab Yusuke and start taking him inside as I sigh in relief.

"Well, good to see you're all okay!" Botan cheers.

"Okay" is one way to put it. Hiei looks fine, but Kurama looks tired, and there's a gash in his middle. My first thought is that maybe I can heal him, but even thinking makes me tired. I don't know why I haven't passed out yet. My body just refuses to give up.

"Hiei, do me a favor?" I ask. He raises an eyebrow, and I have a feeling he's getting ready to reject me, so I quickly follow with, "Hit me as hard as you can?"

"Asaki!" Kurama exclaims, and Botan gasps, but I maintain eye contact with the short demon. I wonder what's going on in his head and if he remembers the same things I do...the same trouble we used to get in.

"You don't have to ask me twice," he says, pulling back his fist. As it lands, I sigh in relief, my world going black.

...

I come to lying on a couch. It's the most comfortable thing I've laid on in ages, and it smells like cat. Sitting up slowly, it takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark room, but when they do, I jump, startled by a figure leaning against a wall.

"There has to be a better way to do that," Kurama says, pushing off from the wall.

"Refresh my memory," I mumble, feeling a bit like I'm hungover without the pounding headache.

"Having Hiei knock you unconscious," he replies, his voice brittle. Oops. I've pissed off Kurama.

"It's not like it hurt," I grunt. "Usually, after taking a beating in human form, my body gives up and I lose consciousness. Which is great, because, like some sort of defense mechanism, I change back into a demon and my healing powers can go to work. For some reason, my human form refused to shut off, and I didn't have the strength to shift back myself."

He shakes his head. "I suppose I can only fault you so much for wanting relief, but forgive me for being a bit upset watching one of my friends hit the other that hard."

"Sorry," I reply, sighing. "Next time, I'll ask for half his strength. Or maybe you could sneeze on me. That might have done it." He smiles, but I can tell he didn't mean to. "By the way, where is the short hothead? I kind of want to hit him back now that I might be able to stand."

"He helped me get you inside and then left. You've only been out for a half an hour."

Thank goodness. I've spent a lot of time unconscious in my life, ranging anywhere between a couple of seconds and a few days. This could have been much worse.

"And the others?"

"Both upstairs, sleeping. I imagine Kuwabara will be up soon, but Yusuke will take a bit longer. Would you like to see them?"

I nod, and he offers me his hand. "I'm okay," I say, pushing myself to my feet without his help. I wobble a bit but manage to stay upright. Kurama seems a little taken aback, so I look away, my stomach unhappy. What could I do? I knew if I accepted his help, I wouldn't know why: because we're friends or because of what he's done for me. Until I can figure that out, until I'm certain I'm not doing him a disservice by hanging onto him like a weirdo, I can't do this.

Being selfish is second nature to me. I have to force myself to put others first, and I guess this is as good a start as any.

After a beat of silence, he turns, and I follow him up the stairs. About halfway up, I press a finger into his back, sending a jolt of healing energy through him. He doesn't react, but I know he feels it, and I quickly pull away, my face growing hot.

 _Dammit, Asaki, make up your mind._ If my goal is to pull away from him, poking him in the back is the opposite way to do it. To be fair, my intent was to heal him, and I accomplished that with as little touching as possible. _Grr_ to me.

We reach the top of the stairs, and Kurama knocks gently on the door to one room. "Come in," a woman's voice says.

We step inside to find Kuwabara sleeping in a bed, the woman with long hair sitting in a chair, a cigarette in her fingers. "Ah, the little red-haired girl is awake."

"Sorry to trouble you," I say, bowing low.

"No sweat. This guy told me you're a friend of my brother's. My name is Shizuru." She smiles lazily at me, and I'm impressed by how casual she is. Kuwabara seems to be going at 110 miles an hour all the time, but she's probably moving at 25, if even. Are they really related?

"Ah, yeah, we're classmates," I say, sighing. I walk over to Kuwabara's bed, frowning at his face. He doesn't look too rough, and I figure Kurama's right that he'll be better soon. Just for good measure I gently tap the blanket he's laying under twice, sending my energy into him.

"Shall we go see Yusuke now?" Kurama asks. I nod, stepping back, wondering if I shouldn't do more.

"Keiko and Botan are still in there," Shizuru says. "I keep telling them he'll be okay, but Keiko's pretty upset."

"I don't blame her," Kurama says as we leave. Kurama leads me to another door that he knocks on. No one responds, but he pushes the door open anyway.

"Ah, Asaki!" Botan gets to her feet as soon as I enter the room, running over to me. "It's good to see you're okay and on your feet."

"Um, thanks," I reply, feeling awkward. "Sorry about, um, passing out on you earlier."

"I really thought Hiei went a bit too far, you know! Even if it was to force you into your demon form. Scared me, honestly."

"I'm sorry!" I bow, but Botan just laughs.

"Don't worry about it, really. We're just glad you're okay." Botan grins, and I'm taken aback. Does she run on cheerfulness?

I look past her, wincing in sympathy at how beat-up Urameshi looks. Keiko is sleeping, kneeling on the ground in front of him, her face scrunched up. I wonder if she isn't worrying about him even in her sleep.

"He'll be all right." Botan says. "That boy is made of tough stuff!"

"He must be," I reply, walking over to him. Careful not to disturb Keiko, I kneel down too, raising a hand and lightly placing a finger on the boy's mouth. I push as much energy into him as I can muster, and his chest heaves, his breathing a little easier.

Getting to my feet, I turn to see two pairs of curious eyes. "The more nerves I'm touching when I heal, the more effective. It works through clothes and through the air, but to do the most good, physical contact is needed. The best way is either by touching someone's lips, where the most nerves are, kissing a part of their body, or kissing them on the mouth."

"That's something I'll have to make sure Koenma's aware of," Botan says, frowning. "Aren't you just something else."

I shrug. "I'm just happy to help."

"That's a different tune than you were singing earlier, you know."

She's not wrong. Even just yesterday, I'd decided I didn't want to be a hero anymore. When did that change? When people started depending on me. In the past few days, I've had people I was capable of looking after. How could I not? How could I just stand idly by?

Maybe the old me would have...the one who used to cower behind her father, who jumped at the slightest sounds, who used her anger to get back at the people who hurt her, and even some who didn't, when the first opportunity came. But, I feel different now, and if that different means I'm helping people, then why the hell not.

"In my defense, I'd just been bitten by one of those stupid insects, and I was on the tail end of kind of a long week."

"Well, regardless of the reason, I'll be sure to tell Koenma what a good job you've done! I'm certain he'll give you clemency after this."

"Yay, me," I reply, smiling wryly. "Though, the real question is, why wait until now to punish me for things I did ages ago?"

"Well, we couldn't find you," Botan replies. "After you ran away from your father's home, we lost track of you, and he was so influential we couldn't touch you under his protection."

Which pisses me off. I ball my hands into fists, breathing deeply. "Right." I let out my breath, trying to calm down. This isn't news to me. My father is as powerful as money can make a person. The idea that not even Spirit World could tango with him without ramifications is sickening, even if it worked in my favor this time.

"I'm going to go home," I say, turning to the door. "Thanks for everything."

"Oh, all right," Botan replies, sounding surprised.

"I'll walk you out." Kurama follows me, and I don't look back, even as we head down the stairs and to the door. "Asaki," he says, his hand finding my arm. I stop walking, his touch jolting me out of the dark paths my mind is wandering down. I turn to look at him, not quite meeting his eyes. "You're shaking."

"It's fine. I'm fine." I clench and unclench my hands, wishing he would stop looking at me like that, like I'm a puzzle he's trying to figure out. How would he feel if he knew the things I've been thinking tonight? Disgusted? Concerned? I don't even know what to hope.

"Those glasses," he says, breaking the silence. I had forgotten I was still wearing Botan's Specter Specs. Kurama reaches toward me, but I jerk back, like a startled rabbit. His eyes go wide, and my heart clenches at the hurt I see in them.

"Sorry. Um, th-they're not mine." I take another step back, my throat closing up a little. "H-have a good night." I turn, opening the door and running out into the night.

* * *

 **A/N: That was definitely a bit of a roller coaster. Botan is one of my favorite characters, and I like the way Asaki reacts around her. She hasn't been around anyone like her before, so all of their interactions are weird for Asaki. Thanks to everyone who's still reading! The next chapter is going to be a doozy, and I'm so looking forward to sharing it! Also, special thanks to ahyeon and GrimmaulDee for the reviews!**


	9. Welcome to the Family

I wake up Monday morning with tears in my eyes. Even in my dreams, I'm not safe, apparently. "What the hell is wrong with me?" I ask the mirror in my bathroom. The girl looking back doesn't respond, and I sigh.

The expression on Kurama's face is haunting me, and every step I take to work, all I can see are green eyes. The goal is to figure out whether we're friends or not. At this rate, I'll have pushed him away so hard that by the time I figure myself out, he won't want to be friends anymore.

This is running through my head non-stop, torturing me to the point where I don't notice Kuwabara is beside me until he pokes me in the shoulder. I jump about ten feet, and Kuwabara jumps too.

"Geez! Sorry, Asaki," he says. "You are Asaki, right?"

"I _am_ Asaki," I reply, looking him over. "You seem a lot better than yesterday."

"Yeah, I feel good as new, though Kurama told me you helped out."

"Not much," I confess. "Just a little healing."

"Well, I owe you a big thanks for that and for holding down the fort while we were gone. How about you and me-"

"Kuwabara, we're going to be late!" Three of Kuwabara's friends grab him by the arms, tossing me a salute as they practically carry him wherever they're off to, the orange-haired boy shouting the whole way. I almost smile. Almost.

Break time finds me standing outside, staring up at the sky, feeling crappier than ever. Someone clears their throat, and I turn to find Keiko standing there, her hands at her sides, balled into fists. She looks like she's forcing herself to do something.

"You're Asaki, aren't you?"

This question is going to get old really fast. "Yes."

"The same girl from yesterday?" I've never been good at lying, and after pushing away one person, I don't know that I can bear another. Before I even get to say anything, however, Keiko says, "I know it's you. Your hair is different and your face is a little colder, but your eyes are the same."

I stare at her, shocked. No one has ever said that to me before, and while I know that my eyes don't change, I don't know why. Not a single soul who has seen both forms has commented on it until now. "Yeah. It's...hard to explain."

She shakes her head. "You don't have to. We've been through a lot, and I just...wanted to thank you for sticking with me. I don't know how we would have made it without you."

"You're tough," I reply. "You would have figured something out."

"I'm not so sure. Anyway, thank you so much. I don't know how I can repay you."

"Please," I say, holding up my hands. "Don't worry about it."

She shakes her head. "Asaki, you don't really know how to take gratitude, do you?"

I blink, surprised at her words. She's as blunt as Urameshi, which, quite frankly, is a relief right now. It makes me want to be equally as candid. "I'm not used to doing things that deserve it."

She frowns. "I find that hard to believe." What does that mean? "Anyway, do you mind if I join you for lunch?"

All I've got to eat are some reject breads from the bakery...but I don't want to be alone right now…. "Not at all."

...

I start feeling that familiar twist in my stomach that means Kurama's coming, and I drop what I'm doing on the floor and hide in the back. It isn't even an entirely conscious thought, my body practically moving on its own, but I scare the crap out of Mrs. Tendou who nearly drops the bowl she's got in her hands.

"Asaki?"

"Nothing," I say, ducking around her and pretending to busy myself with checking expiration dates on ingredients.

A few minutes later, Haruka pokes her head around the corner. "You just missed your friend."

"Friend?" I say, playing dumb, my hands occupied by bags of flour.

"Yeah, the really hot one. Shuichi."

"Oh, darn," I reply, looking back at the flour.

"Asaki, is something wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Asa-"

"I'm fine!" I cry, shoving my head into a box of candies.

"If you say so, crazy," she mutters, finally leaving me alone with the smell of sweets. It makes me sick.

Tomorrow is the same way, with me hiding as soon as I feel Kurama is coming. After he leaves, Haruka tells me, and I just nod, feeling like crap. Two days without seeing him, and I'm no closer to figuring out my feelings than I was before. It's killing me, slowly.

I'm about to book it from work at the end of an early shift to hit up the library when a hand falls on my shoulder. It's Kuwabara.

"Asaki, Kurama says he thinks Urameshi will wake up today. You should, uh, come and see him. Keiko's coming too."

I look at the big guy, my thoughts racing. I want to see that Urameshi is okay, but I don't want to face Kurama right now, and he's sure to be there.

"Kuwabara!" Keiko's voice calls from behind us. She runs over, panting, she's so out of breath. "Oh, Asaki, you're coming too?"

"I...um…." She looks a little lost, and I wonder if that's what I would look like if someone I cared about as much as she does Urameshi got hurt like that. "Yeah." The word is out, and I realize too late what that means.

I'm going to be seeing the guy I've been carefully avoiding the past two days. Crap. I'm so not ready for this.

The three of us head over, and I realize Kuwabara doesn't really live that far from me. I would have to pass the bakery to get there, and I wonder where he was that he found me as I was about to leave from work. That's when it occurs to me that maybe Kurama told him where I work, and Kuwabara chose to ambush me. Stupid fox.

When we get there and step inside, Kurama is nowhere to be found, but Botan is sitting on the couch. She stands as we come in, a smile on her face. "Kurama's upstairs. He's been keeping a good eye on Yusuke."

"I'm glad," Keiko says, a relieved smile on her face.

"Stupid guy gets the royal treatment when he's unconscious," Kuwabara growls, shoving his hands in his pockets and stomping his way up the stairs.

"It's good to see you again, Asaki," Botan says, shaking her head at Kuwabara's antics.

"You too," I reply, meaning it. She just gives off such a bright feeling that makes me want to be around her.

"And, how are you, Keiko?"

"Doing okay," she says, nodding. "I'll be feeling a little better once the idiot upstairs gets up."

"You're telling me. Koenma's been having a fit, saying he killed his best detective." Keiko turns pale, and Botan puts up her hands. "I mean, he's fine, Keiko. It's all right. Koenma's prone to overreacting."

Keiko nods. "I know he's just interning for your detective agency, but that doesn't keep me from worrying, especially at times like this."

Interning? What did Botan tell her?

Raised voices from upstairs catch our attention, and the blue-haired girl grins. "Let's go." The three of us make our way upstairs with me bringing up the rear rather slowly.

"I know that voice!" Botan says as she and Keiko step through the door to Kuwabara's room.

I stand in the doorway while Urameshi tries to strangle Kuwabara, a light chuckle catching my attention. Kurama is standing mere inches from me, but I don't dare look at him. I'm worried that if I do, I might lose my resolve. I've missed him terribly.

"Hey, you." Urameshi points at me, having disentangled himself from Kuwabara.

"Yeah?" I ask, putting a hand on my hip.

"Thank you for saving Botan and Keiko."

"I didn't do a thing, Urameshi."

"Yusuke." His brown eyes bore into my own as he says, "Most of my friends call me

Yusuke." Friends? I blink in surprise, a weird weight settling into my stomach. Another friend, huh?

"Yusuke," I say, nodding.

"Unfortunately, I think you're stuck with us, Asaki. You don't just get the shit beat out of you for someone and expect them to let you walk away."

I shrug helplessly. "I guess not."

"Welcome to our weird family!" Botan says, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"Thanks?" I say, accidentally making eye contact with Kurama. He's smiling, but it doesn't touch his eyes. "Well, it's good to see you're okay, Yusuke, but I've actually got to get going."

"Aw, so soon?" Botan whines.

"Sorry," I reply, ducking out of her grasp. "See you at school," I call, waving to my classmates and ignoring the flipping of my stomach as I leave. The night feels hot on my human skin, and I change into demon form as a reflex. When I'm upset or worried, I usually feel safer as a demon. This time, however, it's poor comfort. Maybe that's because my problem is my fault this time.

After a while of walking, I get this weird feeling someone is following me. When I look behind me, no one's there, but the feeling doesn't abate. Soon, I start to physically sense a presence. I freeze on the spot, swinging my fist around to connect with the face of whoever the hell is creeping up on me only to find my wrist trapped in Kurama's hand.

"Kurama!" I gasp his name, my heart pounding. "You scared me!"

He releases my wrist, his eyes serious as he says, "You've been avoiding me."

"What? I don't know what you're-"

"Please, don't lie to me." His words stop mine cold, and suddenly, the nearly summer air feels chilly on my skin. "I've been to the bakery. Your coworkers tell me you're there, but you're too busy to see me."

I can't tear my eyes from his viridian ones, my heart pounding in my ears. Somehow, he manages to look stern and concerned at the same time. "Asaki, if I've done anything to upset you-"

"No!" I shout, putting my hands up to stop him. I can't believe that's what he's been thinking all this time. "You've done nothing wrong. It's...it's me." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, sighing. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, trying to understand something I'm feeling, and I haven't been able to figure it out. I just don't know what to do."

"Maybe I can help."

I shake my head, even though a large part of me wishes I could just tell him. It would relieve my burden, push it off on someone else. That's exactly why I can't do it. "I'm sorry, Kurama. It's...it's hard for me, but, I need to figure it out myself." He sighs, and I say, "I promise I'll let you know when I understand it."

He looks at me, that expression on his face like he's trying to figure me out. He nods, saying "All right," before gesturing to the path beside him.

I eye it with relief, dashing past him, my heart pounding fast as I race home. How on earth did I expect Kurama to not notice what I've been doing? How stupid am I? I just keep hurting people….

As I walk up to my door, I notice a package sitting on the ground. I pick it up, squinting at the writing on the label: To Asaki Anno. That's all it says. Frowning, I open it to find a little bag. When I pull the strings keeping it shut, a puff of smoke hits me in the face, and then my world goes dark.

* * *

A/N: Phew, that was a chapter. It was kind of short, for which I apologize, but Asaki got to do a little bit of growing and finally got inducted into the goofy YYH family. It's going to be nice to get to write Yusuke's name instead of Urameshi all the time. I know no one really likes cliffhangers, but stick around for the next chapter, and I promise it'll resolve itself. Thanks for coming this far with me, and a special thanks to Vir M and Black Cat Soul Reaper for the reviews!


	10. A Dream

I roll over in bed, pulling the covers high over my head. Another day living a nightmare. Tears form in my eyes, and I reach for my stuffed fox, Shiro, looking for comfort. I can't seem to find him, which is when I sit bolt upright.

"No way." Why am I in my old room? And what am I wearing? I get out of bed, looking down to find I'm clad in a very expensive-looking kimono. Running over to the mirror I know is past a door inside a humongous closet, I eye the girl staring back at me with terrified eyes, trying desperately to remember.

I ran away from this place. I know I did. It wasn't just a dream. It couldn't have been, but...what proof do I have? Tears stream from my eyes, and I grab the mirror, begging it to show me something, anything other than the disgusting girl inside. It remains the same, and I pull back my fist, sending it slamming into that girl's face, shattering her.

This is wrong. As my bleeding hand sends drops of blood to the pristine floor below me, I take shuddering breaths, my heart beating in cut time. "Think, Asaki," I breathe through the panic. I fought Hide. I beat him. I ran to Living World, where I've been for five months. There, I made friends.

Images of Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara, and Yusuke flash before me. Right, friends. Suddenly, I see Kurama's smiling face too, and I fall to my knees, sinking into the blood I've left behind, letting it drip from my hand onto my kimono. The red is as dark as my own hair...darker than his.

I've invented thousands of fantasies in my miserable life, but not even I could have imagined becoming friends with the fox demon who gave me the courage to change my life. I take slow, deep breaths, calming my racing heart. Getting to my feet, I change out of the kimono and put on a shirt and pants, knowing my other clothes were probably destroyed.

This is my old room in my father's mansion. Everything is exactly where I left it five months prior, but that doesn't mean I didn't leave it all that time ago. Taking a deep breath, I think back to my last memories….

Kurama had found me walking home. I'd made him a promise, and then….

"The package!" I gasp, suddenly very angry. That smoke must have knocked me out and someone brought me here. "Of all the dirty, rotten tricks," I growl, fire glowing in my fists. I slam open the door to my room, burning it in the process. Two maids, standing on either side of the door jump, squeaking in fear.

"Where is my father?" I snarl at the shaking girls.

"H-he's in his office," one says, and I stomp off, so far past pissed that it takes all my willpower not to burn this whole damn place to the ground.

Down one hallway and then another, walls and burning doors as I go to relieve some of my fury, I tear my way to where he's waiting. When I get to the door, I kick it open, stalking inside.

There, I find my father sitting at his desk, his face bent over some papers. He looks up as I enter, his eyes narrowed. "I thought I taught you to knock."

"What the hell is your problem?" I scream at him.

"Excuse me?" He slowly gets to his feet, slamming his hand on his desk. "What gives you the right to talk to me that way?"

"What gives you the right to knock me out and _kidnap me_!?" I punch the wall on my right, my fist going straight through it.

"I merely brought you home where you belong."

"Where I belong?" I laugh, thinking, once again, of all the wonderful people I've met since leaving this hellhole. Haruka, Kana, and Mrs. Tendou appear this time, and tears pool in my eyes that immediately evaporate, I'm burning so hot. "What the hell do you know? This isn't where I belong, you piece of shit, and I'm going back."

"Like hell you are. I don't know what happened to you, but apparently, I need teach you your manners once again." He claps his hands, and two men appear at my sides. "Take her to the ice chamber. Maybe that will remind her of her place."

 _Ice chamber_. Those two words take all the fire from me in an instant. The men grab my arms as my legs give out, and they drag me back the way I came, past all of the remnants of my anger, stopping outside a giant metal vault with a large combination lock. The men open the door, tossing me inside.

The last thing I see as the door closes are the cold, dead eyes of my father.

...

Ice isn't a big deal for fire demons. All we have to do is burn hotter than the cold, and everything is okay...right? This works most of the time. However, there's a room in my father's mansion dedicated to punishing me when I misbehave that he calls the ice chamber.

It's a massive room with a white marble floor and white walls. It's temperature controlled and locked from the outside with a combination that only my father knows. When I was little, it didn't take much to freeze me. Maybe a negative 50 degrees Celsius would do it. As I got older, it took more and more, until he had to eventually rebuild the room to accommodate the negative thousands.

When that door shut in my face, it was like I was a small child again, wanting nothing more than to make her father happy and always failing miserably, never fully understanding what I'd done wrong.

Every time he finally decided to let me out, I promised to do better. Every time, I ended up in there again anyway. It was a hopeless, vicious cycle.

I don't know how long I'm in here this time, but when the door opens, he's standing there, arms crossed. "I take it you've cooled down?" I nod dully, and he smacks me hard, sending me sprawling onto the ground. "Good. Go get dressed. There are guests I'd like you to attend to."

It's like I never left. I do as my father says, following his every command. Sitting at his side, I nod and smile, playing the role of the perfect little doll, even as I put up walls around my heart, my mind begging. Not this. Not again.

Every night, I cry silently into my pillow, the tears evaporating before they even have a chance. This is the only rebellion I'm allowed. The one time I tried to escape, the guards shot me down on the spot, and father threw me back in the ice chamber. I haven't tried since.

In this way, days upon days pass, and I give up on everything except pleasing my father. If I do that, he won't lock me away. If I do that, he won't hurt me again. As long as I play along, I won't freeze. The small child again, promising to do better, constantly terrified of being locked away.

"Asaki!" I jump to my feet a the sound of my father's voice, ready to do as he asks.

"I'm expecting some important guests. Dress appropriately. Something traditional this time."

I've been here for a month, not that the days really matter. Each one is its own special torture, and as my maids help me into a sky blue kimono covered in pink cherry blossoms, I barely register that this is a new one. We don't usually get guests right after lunch, but my brain barely registers this as a pink obi is wrapped around me. Instead, I think about what I might need to do to please father, charm these new guests.

When I'm dressed, I walk to the main hallway, descending the stairs to the sound of my father's voice.

"You all seem so young to be working for him!" he booms, sounding overly jovial. "And human to boot. He's certainly got guts."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it," a voice says, freezing me in my tracks. It couldn't be…. No way. Stupid girl. It would be easier to pretend my time away was just a dream.

Stepping carefully, I make my way down the stairs, focusing on my father until I hear someone suck in a breath. I look up, and I miss a step, landing clumsily on the next one but managing to keep my footing.

No way. Standing before my father are Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama.

My world collapses around me as my father turns, a fake smile on his face. "Ah, Asaki. Come greet our guests."

I continue down the stairs, coming to stand beside him as he introduces me to the people I've left behind, my brain so full of conflicting thoughts and feelings that I can't even think.

"Ahem." I jump as my father clears his throat, looking up at him in terror. "Introduce yourself."

"A-Asaki Anno," I say, extending my hand mechanically, like a robot.

Yusuke grabs it, his grip tight, a grin on his face. "Nice to meet ya."

"You too," I mumble as Kuwabara takes my hand next.

"Uh, hey there," he says, looking awkward.

"Hi."

As I shake hands with Kurama, he smiles kindly at me, and I think my heart is breaking all over again, just like that first day. "A pleasure," he says, his voice unbearably warm.

"Likewise," I reply, desperately struggling to regain some semblance of composure. I slide my hand from his, but his touch still lingers in my palm, making me think of a small bakery and misshapen cookies.

"My daughter's been away for a while, studying abroad, but she's finally come home," my father booms, smiling. "Asaki, why don't you show our guests around the place. We can all meet for hors d'oeuvres and dinner when you've finished, and then we can talk business."

"Yes, father," I say, bowing as he waves a hand at us, walking away. When we're alone, I gesture to the stairs. "Follow me." The boys do as I say, and we make our way up to the second floor.

Yusuke snorts the moment we do, and then he breaks into a full-on laugh. "What the hell are you wearing?" he asks me.

"A kimono, you asshole," I grunt, surprising myself. A warm sensation pools in my stomach that I almost remember.

"It looks lovely," Kurama says, and my face goes as red as my hair. Those words feel familiar as well, but right now I can't place it.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask, my voice breaking.

"Well, Koenma called us in for a meeting about a week ago. Said we had to go to some big shot's house by the name of Taro Anno." Yusuke spits on the carpet, and suddenly, I remember why I started liking him. "I didn't know who the hell that was and neither did Kuwabara, but apparently Kurama's met him before or something."

My eyes fall on the demon, and he smiles gently. "How could I ever forget the last time I was here?" His words pierce me straight through my heart, and I press a fist to my chest, trying to hold myself together.

"Anyway, Koenma said we had to go, pretending we had a business venture for him from the toddler, but really, our job was to recover something he'd taken from us." Yusuke points his finger at me like a gun, pretending to pull a trigger. "Imagine our surprise when we realized it was you. So, how've you been?"

"Am I dreaming?" are the words that come out of my mouth. I look from one to the other, unable to believe what I'm hearing and seeing.

"Nah, we're really here, Asaki!" Kuwabara says, grinning. "We're gonna save you."

"That is, if you want us to," Kurama says, eyeing me carefully.

"I…." Before I can say anything more, a maid, heads our way, and I say, loudly, "I'll show you around, honored guests." Gesturing for them to follow, we walk past her, and I sigh. "Be careful what you say when there are ears that can hear you."

"Noted," Kurama says.

"So, what happened anyway?" Yusuke asks, voice low.

"Took me by surprise and kidnapped me," I reply, raising my voice and opening the door to the library. "And here is our library!" I push them inside, closing the door behind us. "I tried to escape, but the guards attacked me."

"Attacked you?" Kuwabara says, sounding disgusted. "His own kid?"

"What does it matter to him?" I snap. "It's not like he can permanently hurt me, and he stopped me from leaving just the same."

We walk through the library, and then I lead them on, down hallway after hallway as they ask me questions about things like defense and traps and such.

"No traps. He employs hoards of strong demons and pays them well. I think the only reason I got out of here the first time is because I had the element of surprise."

"Well, we'll just have to kick their asses," Yusuke says, making a fist.

"Yeah, try that. See how far you get."

"Hey, Asaki, what's behind this door?" I stop, turning to see what Kuwabara's pointing at, and suddenly, the clarity I'd been feeling since we started walking is gone.

"Why do you need a room that can get to negative 1000 degrees?" Yusuke asks, poking the giant metal door.

I stare at it, my eyes losing focus until a hand falls on my shoulder. Slowly, I turn, looking up into green and red, and I blink, regaining myself. "It's nothing," I say. "Let's keep going."

Kurama removes his hand and we move ahead, making our way through the rest of the place. By the time we're done, I've answered all the questions I can about getting me out of here, leaving us no closer to my actually leaving.

"Don't get yourselves hurt because of me," I say. "If it comes to that, just leave."

"Asaki," Kuwabara says, his expression solemn.

"We're not leaving you here," Yusuke snaps. "I don't care if we have to blow the whole place up. Actually, that sounds like fun."

"If you kill anyone, you'll get in a lot of trouble," I say as we head down the main stairs again to find a servant waiting.

"Young Masters, Young Mistress, dinner will be ready shortly," the servant says. He turns to me, bowing. "The Master has requested that you change into dinner attire."

"He would," I grumble. "Thank you. Dismissed." The man bows again, leaving us. "If you wait here, someone will show you into the dining hall," I say. "I guess I have to go change again."

"Finally, some grub!" Yusuke cheers, and I shake my head, turning to leave.

"Asaki," Kurama says, his voice low. I look at him, my heart skipping a beat at the expression on his face. It's stony serious, and it makes me worry a little. "We'll see you shortly."

I nod, practically running up the stairs. When I get to my room, the maids have a dress laid out for me on my bed, ready to help me into it, but I walk right past, lifting a floorboard beside my bed. Underneath lies a box that I heft out, opening the lid to find a dress I haven't touched in 100 years.

* * *

Honestly, "it was all a dream" is just such an annoying concept that I had to toss it in here for a few moments. I'm sorry! Asaki is a lot of things, but she's not completely hopeless. This is a little insight into one of her traumas, and I hope it gives an idea of why she hated her home life so for sticking with me, and a special thanks to ahyeon, Sidako, AmericanNidiot, and Bossbecca23 for the reviews!


	11. Under the Doormat

It smells bad at first, but I shake it out a little, the maids spraying the dress with perfume before I put it on. Surprisingly, it still fits, even if it's a bit tight around my arms. Muscle I didn't have all those years ago seems like a good reason for a dress to be a somewhat snug.

It's white as snow, the ruffles on the skirt tinged with blue, and the neckline is adorned with white roses. I'm not entirely sure why I'm choosing to wear it now, of all times…. Is it because the last man to see me in it is here in this place at this very moment? Is it because I want him to see me, compare me to the scared girl he once looked down on? Or maybe it's because I'm looking for strength, and this seems like a good way to do it.

Sighing, I glance out the window at the night sky. This particular mansion is in Living World, and I look up, searching for the constellation that would give me strength. I can't find Leo, but what I do find makes me sigh.

Back when I'd first started studying the stars, well before my run-in with the most terrifying fox demon, I'd learned the names of dozens of constellations. Needless to say, the biggest, brightest ones stuck with me the most, but as I gaze at the stars, my eyes are drawn to a dim, not largely know group of stars: _Vulpecula_ , the fox constellation.

"Stupid fox," I mumble, shaking my head as I turn and leave my room behind, feeling a little better than before.

Descending the stairs this time, there's no one to greet me save a maid who escorts me to the dining hall. She announces me, and I step inside, heart pounding. The boys all get up as they see me, my father remaining seated. Yusuke is grinning like an idiot, and I know he's got something smart to say. Kuwabara looks a little dazed, which might have made me smile more than a month ago.

The expression on Kurama's face is what makes me stop short. His expression is dark, his eyes calculating. I'm so stupid. All of those reasons I'd been tossing around before crumble under that gaze, as I realize what I really wanted was a spark of recognition in his eyes, maybe a look like Kuwabara's, anything but that impenetrable expression.

"Asaki." My father's voice slams into my ears, and I think I may be sick. "I haven't seen that dress in ages. When was the last time you wore it? Not that it matters." He gestures to a seat on his left, across from Kurama, and I shuffle over, wishing I were anywhere but here.

Clapping his hands, the food is brought out, and I stare at the gorgeous dishes as Kuwabara and Yusuke start drooling. There are several types of meat, ranging from chicken to pig, from cow to even certain varieties of demon, something Kurama and I casually steer the other two away from. There's no tactful way to inform the boys what those are without insulting my father who eats demon without hesitation.

Everything is laid out on plates of gold, and our silverware is real silver. Little does my father know these things are probably wasted on my classmates. There's no way they know all of this is real. Kurama, on the other hand...I eye the once-legendary bandit-turned-human, kind of glad he's just eating like this is no big deal.

Sighing, I take a bite, blocking out the words my father is saying. It's all too easy to pretend this is just another night, trapped under his thumb. Yusuke and Kurama do most of the talking as they chat casually about things I don't hear, pushing my food around on my plate, and occasionally scraping the bottom or sides just for the sound of something that doesn't make me hurt.

About halfway through the meal, a sound catches my attention, and I look up to see my father place his silverware down, a scowl on his face. "That is where we differ, boy." He shakes his head. "I don't know how morons like you got jobs working under Koenma, but I'm insulted he'd send the likes of you to me."

He pushes his plate away, and a shiver trips up my spine as a cold wind blows through his short, dark red-brown hair. "Seriously. You really think men of my power should hold themselves to the same standards as those _clearly_ beneath me? Cute." His words are directed at Yusuke, and I wonder what exactly the Spirit Detective said to make my father so angry.

"Yeah, so what?" he replies, looking peeved himself.

"So stupid. And you!" Father jabs a finger toward Kuwabara. "Stop staring at my daughter, you repulsive slug. She would never associate with filth like you."

"Shut up!" I'm on my feet, fire flowing from my hands up my arms. "Just shut up!" Everyone is staring at me, eyes wide, but I don't care. "How dare you talk to them like that. I thought you were some big shot, but you're insulting clients now?"

"How dare _you_ ," he growls, getting to his feet as well. "I thought I'd frozen that fowl tongue out of you by now, but apparently not." The air grows cold around us, ice forming on the table. I'm not the only one whose power manifests when angry. For an ice apparition, my father has a nasty temper that causes him to freeze everything in sight.

"Maybe another day in the ice chamber will remind you of your place." Once again, my fire dies as quickly as it came, leaving me shaking. Two of the servants place their hands on my shoulders, and I'm that small child again, terrified, lost and searching for something, anything she can hold on to, anything to keep her safe. The only problem is, everything is slicked with ice. I hang my head as they take me away, throwing me in the second coldest place I've ever experienced. The first is my father's heart.

All I wanted, when I was small, was a hand to hold, a world where I could feel safe and at ease. For a while, I'd convinced myself my father's love was where that would be, but as I got older and realized he would never love me, I came to terms with the idea that there would never be a place like that for me.

But, what I wouldn't give for even an inkling of love from someone...anyone. Even as the cold kicks in, dulling my senses, slowing my heart and making my mind foggy, I wonder if the guys are okay.

I don't know how long I'm in there when a sharp sound catches my attention. The room starts to warm up again, and I open my eyes to find my vision blurred by tears. It hasn't been a day, and Father never lets me out early. What could be going on?

"Asaki!" a voice cries, and I slowly wipe my eyes, not believing what I'm seeing. It's Kurama. "Come on, let's go." He grabs me by the hand, yanking me to my feet and out of the ice chamber, back into the mansion. When my feet hit the carpet, a shoe slides off, and I stumble, hitting the ground.

I blink, staring at the shoe like I've never seen it before. What do I do with this, again? Kurama takes it, sliding it onto my foot, and I frown. Is that right?

"Asaki, we have to go."

"Go?"

"Yusuke and Kuwabara are holding off any pursuers, but they can't last forever."

I shake my head, evaporating the tears that are trying to fall. "Why? Why are you doing this for me? Why didn't you just leave when you had the chance? If you guys get hurt because of me…." I choke back a sob, balling my hands into fists. "I would have been okay. You guys can't go risking yourselves for me-"

"That's stupid, and you know it." I look up, eyes wide at the irritation in Kurama's face. "You don't have to be strong all the time!"

My brain empties of all thought as my body moves on its own. I grab the front of Kurama's shirt, yanking him closer so I can wrap my arms around him. He stiffens before putting his arms around me too, holding me tightly. I sob into his shoulder, unable to process anything other than the warmth of his body and the smell of roses.

After an immeasurable amount of time, somehow both too short and too long at once, he pushes away, standing and offering me his hand. I take it, wondering if this isn't it...the hand I'd given up searching for finally taking mine.

He leads me through the mansion like he's lived here all his life, his sure feet finding the main hall with ease. At the bottom of the stairs stands my father, and I stumble, crashing into Kurama who catches me easily. "It's all right," he whispers. "I'm here for you." He squeezes my hand, and we slowly make our way down the stairs, meeting my father at the end.

"Let her go!" Taro Anno booms, his voice making me flinch. The world is too loud, too bright, too frightening. How can I make it through this?

"We were just leaving." Kurama's voice is dangerously low, but it gives me something to focus on.

"Over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged." Kurama reaches into his hair with his free hand, pulling out a single rose.

"Flowers don't scare me, boy," Taro booms. I grip Kurama's hand, my world spinning until my father gasps. Looking up, I see a scratch on his face, the rose embedded in the wall behind him.

"Next time, I won't miss," he states, voice still low. "Now, excuse us." And just like that, Kurama leads me past my father who is frozen in place as though his own ice keeps him there.

We step out into the light, and I stare up at the night sky, even as we begin to run again, my eyes finding _Vulpecula_. Kurama and I meet up with Yusuke and Kuwabara who are standing in the middle of a pile of unconscious demons. When they see us, Yusuke grins.

"Good job, Kurama." Then he frowns. "Is she okay?"

"She will be," he replies for me. "Let's just get her home."

I don't remember much of the trip except for the one time Kurama let go of my hand to grab tickets for us. I don't even remember why or what we needed to ride. My stomach threatened to revisit dinner, and I retched once before he retook my hand. He looked blurry to me, and I couldn't figure out why. To be fair, everything had looked wrong since he came to get me from that chamber.

When we arrive at my apartment, I look up at the stairs leading to my room. "I spoke with your landlord," Kurama says. "Everything is waiting for you as you left it. He'll wait on rent for a little while if necessary."

His words don't mean much to me right now. The only thing I can see is the dim light over my door, and when he releases my hand again, I have to reach for the handrail to hold myself up.

"Asaki, do you need help getting up there?" Kuwabara asks.

I shake my head, not looking anywhere but the door as I slowly walk up the stairs. I twist the doorknob, but it doesn't open. Locked. Something is pressed into my hand, and I stare at a key.

"Under the doormat, Asaki? Really?" It's Yusuke, standing beside me, a wry smile on his face.

I nod, sticking it in the door, opening it, and stepping inside. I walk over to the pile of blankets that serve as my bed, eyes landing on a familiar shape. "Shiro," I whisper, falling to my knees and pulling the stuffed fox into my arms. That's the last thing I remember before falling asleep.

...

I wake the next morning to a knock on my door. Slowly, I sit up, rubbing my eyes as the knocking continues. Getting up, I look around my apartment, memories of last night coming into my head.

"I'm home," I whisper to myself. "Thank goodness." Walking to the door, I pull it open to see Keiko standing on the other side.

"Asaki! You really are back. Oh, I'm so glad." She smiles hugely at me, but I tilt my head, confused. "Yusuke and Kurama told me they went to go get you from your trip, but Kurama said you might not remember to get up for school, so he asked me to come check on you."

Kurama. School. I nod my head. "I'll get dressed." I gesture her inside, grabbing my school uniform and changing. Before I head out the door, I stare at my white dress for a long time before packing it and the shoes into a bag and following Keiko out into the day

We don't talk much on the way, my brain still fuzzy from last night. The ice chamber always leaves me disoriented afterward, but it's more than just that. _You don't have to be strong all the time._ I hugged Kurama.

My face goes red, and I smack my cheeks, making Keiko look at me, concerned. "Sorry," I say. "Still, um, waking up."

"That's one way to do it." She sighs. " I swear, if Yusuke isn't here today…."

We part ways when we get to school, and I brace myself for all the work I've missed. Thankfully, apparently Keiko has convinced the teachers that I'd had to leave to look after my sick father, so they aren't overly upset. I wonder if that's the story the guys told her….

Regardless, the class content I missed was all things I'd already studied. It's the sheer amount of homework that was assigned that's going to kick me in the backside. Sighing, I skip lunch, instead hanging out in the school library to get started. By the time the next class begins, I've hardly put a dent in it.

When school lets out, I make my way to a pawn shop I usually walk right past without a second thought. Standing outside the small building, I sigh, looking at the bag in my hands.

"Asaki?" I jump, turning to find Kurama. Opening my mouth, I close it, remembering how much trouble I've caused him. Instead, I grip my bag tightly, stepping inside. He follows me as I walk up to the counter.

"What can I do for you?" the man behind the counter asks, smiling benignly.

"I wanted to know how much you'd give me for these." I pull out the dress and the shoes I'd worn last night, laying them on the countertop for him to look over. His eyes widen, and I know I'll be able to haggle this. Hopefully, I can do it right after having watched my father countless times.

"Hm. Not bad. Material is solid, though it's a bit old." He casts a glance at me and then says, "One hundred thousand yen."

"Not happening," I say instantly, my voice brooking no refusal. My father wouldn't have bought me a dress that cost less than maybe 500,000 yen, and I've only worn that dress twice. "Try again."

The man frowns, apparently unhappy that he won't be scamming me so easily. "One-fifty." I shake my head, reaching for the dress. "Two hundred thousand!"

"That's all right, really. I'll got somewhere else."

"Three hundred thousand, final offer!" I let the dress go, nodding. He grimaces, taking it from me and giving me one hundred thousand yen for the shoes as well. I probably could have made him go higher, but I lucked out on the dress and didn't want to push it.

I step outside, pocketing my money and Kurama says, "Well played."

Nodding, I focus on my hands as I say, "Learned from the cheapest bastard I know."

"Why, though? You've had that dress for so long." I look up at him for the first time, the genuine curiosity on his face piercing me.

"Well, I'm going to need the money. My father's been sending me a small allowance all this time, but after yesterday, I doubt that'll happen anymore." I swallow, digging a hand into my hair at the start of my braid and tugging hard. "Besides, the only reason I even kept that dress is because it was a reminder of someone who changed my life."

I remove my hand, balling it into a fist at my side as I say, "But, I don't need a reminder if you're right here." He blinks in surprise, and I notice his cheeks redden the tiniest bit.

Clearing his throat, he says, "I've caused you a lot of trouble, haven't I?"

"No way." I reach a hand toward him, but I stop short, pulling back as I remember how I was avoiding him before this whole mess began. I don't deserve to stand here beside him now, but it has nothing to do with Yoko Kurama and everything to do with how incredible this Kurama is, standing right in front of me.

"I didn't realize leaving in that manner might have financial ramifications for you," Kurama says, and I silently thank him for not pressing me further about my weird behavior just now.

I shake my head. "It's better this way. I owe him nothing now."

Kurama sighs. "Don't misunderstand me. Even had I known, it wouldn't have stopped me from coming for you. I just might have done it better." I bite back a sob at his words, and he gasps. "Asaki, I-"

"No, no, wait." I evaporate my tears, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm okay. I'm...okay." I rub my eyes, sighing. "Sorry."

He shakes his head, looking away from me for a moment before saying, "Have you been to the bakery yet?"

"Mm-mm." I sigh. "How can I face them after disappearing for so long?"

"I think you'll find they'll be more relieved to see you than anything else." He offers me his hand, and I stare at it for a moment until he says, "I promise, I don't bite."

"Funny coming from a fox," slides out of my mouth before I realize it, and I gasp, but he smiles, easing all of my fears in an instant. After another moment, I turn human, take his hand, and let him lead me down the familiar streets to Seventh Leaven. It's only been a month, but right now, that pun feels like the second best thing in the world. The first slides his hand from mine and pushes open the door, gesturing for me to enter.

There aren't any customers inside, which means that when the bell rings, a chorus of "Welcome!" meets me only to be followed by a gasp and an excited scream.

"ASAKI!" Haruka flies at me, wrapping me in her arms and crying.

"H-Haruka!" I breathe, "you're squishing me." But she only squeezes me tighter, so I hold her in return, completely overwhelmed by her feelings.

She lets me go only for me to be swept up in Mrs. Tendou's arms. "Welcome back, you silly girl," she cries, squeezing me so hard she lifts me from the ground.

"Ah!" I squeak, stepping back when she sets me down.

Kana comes over, taking my hands in hers. "You're really here."

I nod. "It feels like I'm dreaming. I'm so glad to be back."

"Hey, you!" Mrs. Tendou points to Kurama who looks at her, surprised. "Come here." He walks over only to be pulled into a bear hug by the older woman. His face goes bright red, and when she lets him go, he puts a hand to his head, thoroughly embarrassed. "Thanks for bringing her back."

He smiles. "I didn't do much, really."

"Don't lie to me, boy. I'm sure this silly girl said some nonsense about not being able to face us and you had to drag her here."

I stare at Mrs. Tendou, wondering if she isn't some kind of psychic. Kurama chuckles, and I shoot him a glare that makes him stop, but he's still smiling. "It wasn't like that," I mumble.

"When can you start again?" Kai steps out from the back room, arms crossed.

"What?" I look from him to Mrs. Tendou, confused.

"Shuichi said you'd be back," Kana says.

"So, I never took you off the payroll," Mrs. Tendou finishes. "You can come back whenever you're ready. That is, if you still want to."

"Thanks, guys," I say, tears pricking the corners of my eyes that I wipe away. "Soon. I've got more homework to catch up on than I know what to do with, but when it's done, I'll be here."

"Woo! Welcome back, Asaki!" Haruka cheers. "Ooh! I know." She turns to Kana. "Why don't we all go to karaoke to celebrate."

"Karaoke?" Kai grumbles.

"You can come too, you big lump," Haruka says, elbowing him. His face goes bright red, but Haruka doesn't notice as she turns to me. "Kana's boyfriend is coming to pick her up, and he's willing to tag along anywhere, so it'll be a party!"

"I-I'm not sure," I say. "I've never been to karaoke before."

"Never?" Haruka shakes her head. "Even more reason to go!" She looks back at Shuichi, her face lit up. "You should come too, guy!"

He holds up his hands. "I think I may pass. Singing is not my strong suit." At his words, I turn to look at him, panic racing through me. He looks taken aback, and I could kick myself. "I guess it couldn't hurt," he says.

"Don't put yourself out on my account," I quickly reply, hoping to convey how sorry I am for making it seem like I need him to come. "If you've got other things to do, you should."

"Ah, no, really, it's all right. I think it will give me some peace of mind."

Before I can object any further, Haruka claps her hands loudly, making me wince. "Sweet, that's all settled."

"Fine, fine, get out of here." Mrs. Tendou grunts, pushing us out.

"But it isn't closing time yet," Kana mumbles.

"It is now." Mrs. Tendou flips the sign to closed, giving us all a wink. "Good night, kids. And welcome back, Asaki."

"Thank you."

* * *

A/N: So much happened in this chapter! Asaki's really making some more progress as far as associating with other people, and she's letting go of crutches and reminders of her troubled past. The scars are still there, but at least she doesn't need to be reminded of them every day. Asaki has always dealt with all of her problems on her own, trying to be brave and strong 24/7, but that's not healthy. I'm glad she's got people around her now to remind her that she's not alone. Special thanks to Sidako, AmericanNidiot, ahyeon, and Wxtchy for the reviews! You guys are awesome!


	12. Misshapen Cookies

Kurama and I walk side by side at the tail end of the group, my hands firmly behind my back as Haruka, Kai, Kana, and her boyfriend Eiji walk in front, talking casually.

"I'm sorry, Kurama," I whisper. "I'll be okay if you want to go home. Really."

"It's all right, Asaki. Truth be told, I've never been to karaoke either. I'll have to think of this as a learning experience."

I snort, immediately covering my nose and mouth at the sound as Kurama looks at me, eyes wide. "Gosh, that was embarrassing," I groan. "Let's pretend I did not just do that."

He opens his mouth to say something when Haruka yells, "Hey, lovebirds, we're here."

"L-love…." My face goes bright red, and I step away from Kurama, shaking my head. "Haruka!" I shout, walking toward her.

She laughs. "Just teasing, just teasing." I scowl the rest of the way there to hide my embarrassment. Kurama and I are about as far from being a couple as people can be, what with all of my problems still hanging between us.

We walk inside the karaoke place, and Haruka and Kana pay for an hour, shoving all of us in a room with a table and a wraparound couch. Kana settles in next to Eiji, and Kai and Haruka get close, leaving me next to Kurama, which is both totally okay and not at all. I'm so nervous I almost trip into my seat.

"Geez," I mumble, running a hand through my hair as Kurama settles beside me, cutting off any avenue for escape. Not that I want to run or anything. Not a bit.

We order drinks, but when I offer to pay for myself, Haruka stops me. "I invited you out here. I'm paying for whatever you want." Which essentially means I won't order anything. I can't put that on her when she's already being so nice.

"All right, I'll go first," Haruka says. She picks a song, grabbing a mic and standing in front of everyone. I have no idea what the song is, but she's really good. I take a long sip of my drink as Kana goes next. She sings a really slow song, her voice warbly, but she can carry a tune, which is more than I can say for poor Eiji who is all over the place. At least he's having fun.

The girls order food, and when it comes, we take a break, everyone enjoying it. I refuse at first, but Haruka threatens to dump soy sauce in my lap, and I obediently munch, filling my empty stomach. It's the first thing I've eaten today, and it feels great.

After Kai sings, surprising me with a really sweet baritone, the mic gets passed to me. "Ah, guys, I don't really know a lot of music." Nothing from this century, anyway. I have a few arias memorized, and plenty of old demon songs but very little Living World music has ever come my way.

"I'm sure there's something in here for you, Asaki!" Haruka goes through the list, eventually picking one. "Here we go. This one plays in the bakery sometimes. You should know it."

The tune starts, and I give Kurama a panicked look. The amused expression on his face doesn't help. I almost elbow him...almost. The words come up on the screen, and I begin. The song is called "Smile Bomb". It's pretty simple and catchy, and I surprise myself by actually knowing most of the words.

As I finish, I breathe a sigh of relief, setting the mic on the table. That really wasn't all that bad.

"Good job, Asaki!" Haruka cheers, and the others echo her sentiments.

"It was okay," I mumble, feeling silly. Haruka grunts, shoving me hard and sending me into Kurama's lap. "Ah!" I push myself off him, my face as red as his hair. "Sorry, K-" I stop myself, his eyes as wide as mine. "Shuichi." It's been so long since I've called him anything, let alone his human name. That was bad.

Everyone is quiet for a moment before Kana picks up the microphone, holding it out to Kurama. To my surprise, he takes it, shrugging. He sings a song that sounds vaguely familiar to me, his voice a light tenor. There's something about it that calms me, and I relax into the couch, not even realizing our shoulders are touching until he finishes.

I scoot away, my heart a hot mess. What is happening to me? I take a big gulp of my drink as everyone sings again. When our time is up, we all part ways, Kurama walking with me, even though I know he must live the other direction.

"Thanks for coming with me," I say, sighing. "I don't know that I could have gone by myself."

"It was fun," he replies, smiling lightly.

"It actually was." I find myself smiling too, and Kurama sighs. "What?"

"I was starting to worry I wouldn't get to see you smile again. It's a relief."

"W-what?" I bark. I clear my throat, looking away. My face is burning hot, and I'm having a hard time breathing. What is this feeling, this weird warmth spreading through me? "I'm sorry. Not just for tonight." I swallow roughly, wringing my hands as we walk on. "For everything. I don't know how I can even begin to thank you-"

"Asaki, having you back here is thanks enough." I look up at him, surprised, but he isn't teasing or joking this time. His face is completely serious, and I find my heart beating fast at the look in his green eyes. I've missed those eyes, even if they do know too much.

We approach my apartment, and I sigh, not wanting to say goodbye just yet. I turn to him, and I wonder what he's thinking, his own eyes on my door. Just when I open my mouth to bid him a good night, he reaches up, slowly, and pulls a rose from his hair, handing it to me.

"Careful," he says as I take it from him. Staring at it for a moment, surprised, he smiles in a way that makes my heart pound. I put it up to my nose to hide my red face, inhaling deeply and closing my eyes. I've always loved the smell of roses.

"Good night, Asaki," he says, still smiling.

"Good night, Kurama." I watch him leave, holding the rose in my hands. When he's out of sight, I run upstairs, looking for a tall glass to put the flower in, filling it with water. Even as I stare at it, somehow willing it to never wilt, I look down at my hand to find the tiniest drop of blood.

…

I get to school the next day, immediately seeking out Yusuke and Keiko's class. They're sitting and talking together, Kuwabara standing beside them, but Yusuke waves to me when he spots me.

"Yo, Asaki. What's up?"

"Here." I hand the three of them small bags of cookies. "Thanks for being there for me when I needed help," I say, feeling stupid. "They're not great, and they look really bad, but-" Yusuke shoves three of them in his mouth at once, and I stop talking, amazed.

"Not bad," he says, mouth full and crumbs tumbling out.

"Yusuke, you idiot, that's rude," Keiko snaps, hitting him on the back of the head. He gags and swallows hard, glaring at her.

"You trying to kill me or something?" he shouts.

"Well, would it kill you to have manners?" she replies.

"It just might," he growls.

Kuwabara rolls his eyes, looking at me. "That's their way of saying thank you."

I find myself smiling at their antics. "It's all right. Anyway, it's not really enough to show my gratitude, but it's a start."

"Well, hey, if you wanna show gratitude, maybe you and I can-"

"Don't even think about it," Yusuke cuts him off, hitting him on the head. "Fox boy might eat you if you ask out his girlfriend."

"No way," Kuwabara gasps. "You and Kurama?!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I snap. "We're not dating!"

"Seriously? Because I've never seen him as mad as he was when we found out your old man had you. Thought he was going to tear up Koenma's office," Yusuke drawls.

"What do you mean, he had her?" Keiko asks.

"Shoot." Yusuke gulps, turning to a confused Keiko as the bell rings. I dash out of his class and back to my own, leaving him to clean up that mess while I try to figure out mine. Why would Kurama have been that angry? Was it because he didn't think I would keep my promise? Had he thought I was running away from him? I wouldn't blame him, really.

I spend the entire school day sighing and looking into my bag at the last batch of cookies. It feels like it's mocking me. When class lets out, I find an empty spot, pulling out the glasses I still haven't returned to Botan, sighing.

"What am I even thinking?" I mumble.

"That's a good question." I jump, turning to find Botan in a pink kimono, floating on an oar beside me. She ignores my blatant staring, looking at my hands. "Ah, the Specter Specs!"

"Y-yeah. I'd meant to return them to you, but I kept forgetting." I hand them out to her, eyes still wide. "Are you…?"

"Oh, that's right, I never did explain, did I?" She grins, taking the glasses from me. "I'm basically the grim reaper."

"Has anyone ever told you that you don't look very grim?" I ask, smiling despite myself. If she hadn't currently been floating there, I might not have believed her. She also worked for Spirit World, so it made sense. I'd heard about the oar-riding reapers before, though only in passing.

"Why yes, actually. I think it must be my bubbly, charming personality!" She pumps a fist in the air, and I chuckle. "Oh, that's right. I came to see how you were doing back home. Koenma was very worried about you."

"Can't imagine why," I say, frowning.

"Well, I think Yusuke put it best when he said you're stuck with us. That means Koenma is looking out for you too."

I shake my head. "Well, thank him for me, I guess."

"Will do!" She floats around me, frowning. "You look like you're trying to make some big decision, Asaki."

"Oh. Um, yeah." I sigh. "You don't happen to know where Kurama lives, do you?"

"Kurama?" Botan nods. "I do. Would you like me to show you? Although, he's still at school right now."

"That's fine," I tell her. "Better, actually. I just wanted to leave him something as a thank you for coming to get me."

"Ah, no problem!" Botan says, hopping off of her oar. When her feet touch the ground, her clothes change into my school's uniform. "I'll lead the way!"

Changing into my human form, I follow her, thinking that this is an incredibly stupid decision I'm making, but if I can get in and out without him coming home, it'll be okay. I don't know if I can face him without other people around just now. Last night already pushed me to the end of my endurance.

I sigh, looking sidelong at Botan, wondering if she can tell me what these weird feelings I'm getting around him are. At the same time, I'm not sure I want the answer. What I wouldn't give to just be friends with him again the way we were before I got so confused.

"And, here we are!" Botan stops outside a tidy-looking, small house with a neatly kept yard and some shrub bushes out front. "I wonder if Kurama keeps the grass looking this good," Botan says, frowning.

"It's possible," I reply. I don't know a lot about Kurama's powers, just that he's pretty handy with plants. It makes me beyond curious, and I hope I get to see it one day, though perhaps not in a fighting situation.

"Oh, no!" Botan cries. "I promised Koenma I'd be back in Spirit World by now. I'll see you later, Asaki!"

"Thanks again, Botan!" I call to her as she pulls her oar out of thin air, hopping on and flying away. That leaves me alone, staring at Kurama's house. I swallow hard, gripping my bag. "Okay, Asaki," I mumble. "Just leave it quickly."

I take a step toward the front door when a voice says, "Asaki?"

Freezing in place, I turn my head to see Shiori Minamino walking this way. Crap. "H-hello, Mrs. Minamino."

"It's been a while," she replies, smiling at me. "Shuichi was telling me you've been rather caught up in work and studying lately. How are you?"

"Good, good," I say. "A bit tired from all the studying, but I think it'll be worth it." I smile, feeling bad for lying to her, but it's mostly true. I am tired, and I have been studying. "How are you?" I think back to the last time I saw her and how she nearly collapsed.

"Oh, I'm quite all right. My body is finally as strong as it used to be, so there's no need for worry anymore." She gives me a knowing smile, and I wonder if she really knows what I'd been thinking. "What are you doing here?"

My face goes bright red, and I reach in my bag, suddenly feeling stupid. "I...um...wanted to give these as a gift to Shuichi." His human name feels weird on my tongue after all this time, but it's nothing compared to the knots in my stomach, talking to his mother. "Though I don't know if he'll even want them." I sigh.

"Oh, I'm sure he will, dear." She looks from me to the cookies, smiling gently. "I have an idea."

And that's how I end up in Kurama's house, baking with his mother. I set my terrible-looking cookies on a table in their kitchen, trying to take in as much as I can without being obvious. It's a modest house, perfect for a single mother and her son, with not a space wasted.

The countertops are clean, typical kitchen things on top like a mixer, a toaster, and a microwave. Mrs. Minamino grabs a mixing bowl and the ingredients for making cookies, preheating the oven.

"I haven't done this in ages," she says, smiling like a small child as she hands me a measuring cup. "When I fell ill, Shuichi had to bear a lot on his shoulders, and things like cooking all had to fall to him. This can be a thank you from both of us, I think."

This woman really loves her son, deeply, and I feel a pang in my chest that I ignore, instead focusing on doing what she tells me. My school uniform ends up spattered in flour and butter, but it's fun working with her, and I find myself laughing as she dumps a whole mess of chocolate chips in the batter.

She laughs too, and that's when the front door opens. "Mother, I'm home," an unfortunately familiar voice calls.

"We're in the kitchen," Mrs. Minamino shouts back. She turns to me. "Oh, don't stop stirring."

"Shoot!" I grab the spoon she'd handed me to stir, forcing the dough to soften up again. At the very least, it gives me something to focus on when Kurama walks into the kitchen.

"Asaki?"

"Yo!" I say, not daring to look up.

"That should be good for now. Let's get them on the baking sheet." Doing as she says, I glop the cookies on the metal pan, probably putting way too much effort into it. I can feel his eyes on me.

"How was school, dear?" Mrs. Minamino asks her son.

"It was all right," he replies. "I've finished all of my homework, and I was actually planning on going to the bakery, but I see you've brought it here."

I drop the spoon on the pan, jumping at the sound. "Asaki stopped by, and I invited her in," she says. "Oh, I hope you didn't have anything else you needed to do today."

I shake my head, looking up from the pan at her. "Not really." Which isn't entirely true. I still have a mountain of homework to do, but...until Kurama showed up, I was actually having a lot of fun. "Maybe after this, I'll be able to make edible cookies."

She smiles at me, shaking her head. "Anyhow, I actually need to run to the store for something. Sorry to leave you, Asaki."

I bite back the urge to ask her to stay, instead forcing a smile of my own. "Not at all." She bows her way out, leaving me alone with Kurama. I feel like a rabbit cornered by a fox.

"Baking cookies with my mother?"

Nodding, I open the oven, putting the pan inside and looking at the time to make sure I know when to pull them out. "She asked me to, and I couldn't say no." I sigh, looking helplessly at him. "She's so nice, and...I don't know how to explain it."

"I know what you mean." He picks up the sad bag of cookies on the table, eyeing them. "Why did you come here?"

Wringing my hands, I stare at my messed up cookies. No preface, no pleasant chitchat, just straight to the point. "I wanted to thank you, so I planned on just leaving those cookies by your door and running. However, your mom caught me."

He nods. "I see." Silence falls between us, and I feel my heart hammering like it wants to break free of my chest. His green eyes find mine, and I almost squeak, more mouse than rabbit. "Asaki, please, tell me what you're thinking. I can only guess, and it's been a hellish time trying to imagine why you're pushing me away so adamantly."

I squeeze my hands into fists, unable to look away, my heart nearly hurting at the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kurama. Please, know that I never meant to hurt you. And you'll probably think this a terrible reason, but...I'm a terrible person, so I guess it's perfect for me."

Sighing, I let my words pour out of me like water, praying he'll forgive me. "I was afraid that I wasn't just around you because I wanted to be friends. I was worried it was because I was idolizing you, holding you high above me. I kept thinking that the things you did weren't because we were friends but because you felt bad for me or thinking well of myself because I did something to make someone as amazing as you happy. I didn't want to cheapen our relationship with those awful thoughts, and so I wanted to keep away from you until I could figure it out for myself.

"But, when I was kidnapped, I thought about you a lot and realized how stupid I've been. I like being around you because you're funny and smart and charming and kind, not because of something that happened so long ago. That will always be a part of my heart, but it pales in comparison to the way I see you now. I'm just sorry I came to the realization so late."

I finish speaking, and he lets out a breath I didn't even know he was holding. "I had a theory, but I'm afraid I thought it was something else. I've nothing but my own arrogance to blame." It takes me a second to realize what he means, my face going a little red. Did he think I'd had a crush on him? I mean, he wasn't entirely wrong…."Still, how many times must I convince you that I genuinely wish to be your friend?"

I bite my lip, sadness sinking into my bones. "I've never had friends before...I don't know how to discern real concern for the self-serving kind."

"I promise you, I seek to gain nothing from your friendship other than your presence."

I nod, looking up at him, feeling lost. "What do you do with friendship?"

"I find the easiest thing is to care for your friends and let them care for you," he says, smiling.

"You really do make it sound easy." I laugh weakly, shaking my head. "I've spent my whole life around people who sought only to gain from being near me or hurt me if they did not profit. How do I even begin to learn to judge people after that? How do I know who to trust?"

He doesn't respond immediately, and I appreciate that he doesn't attempt to gloss over my hurts or diminish them in any way. When he does speak, his eyes lock onto mine. "You could start by trusting me."

Those words bloom in my chest, and suddenly, I realize exactly what these new feelings for Kurama that have been surrounding me really are. Somehow, I skipped right over having a proper crush on the guy and went straight to falling in love. I really am stupid, aren't I?

Kurama reaches out a hand to me, and I take it without hesitation, his slim fingers squeezing mine gently before letting go. I find I miss his touch, and I ball my hand into a fist, wishing it were still holding his. It's in the midst of these thoughts that the smell of burning hits my nose.

"Shoot!" I cry. The cookies. Without thinking twice, I yank the oven door open, reaching in and grabbing the tray. Setting it on the counter, I breathe a sigh of relief. "Not too bad. Maybe a little crispy."

Looking up at Kurama, I balk at the stony expression on his face. "We have oven mitts, you know."

"O-oh," I say. I cradle my burnt hand in my good one, staring at it. "I mean, it's not too bad, really. It'll be fixed in a few minutes."

"That's really not the point here," he sighs, turning on the faucet over the sink. He sticks his finger in the water for a moment, adjusting the temperature before gesturing for me to take his place.

I frown, uncertain about what he wants from me. When I don't move, he gently takes my wrist, pulling me closer and holding my hand under the water. That's when I realize I've never told him that I can't feel pain. Suddenly, a lot of pieces start falling into place: his concern when I'd cut myself at the ramen shop, his worry about Hiei punching me, and now this.

"Kurama, I-"

"Shuichi, Asaki, I'm back!"

I immediately turn off the water, hiding my burnt hand behind my back as Mrs. Minamino walks into the room. She's got a few bags of food in her hands that she drops on the table. "Smells a little burnt," she says, and I sigh.

"Yeah, I goofed." I turn to my cookies, making sure to keep my burnt hand out of sight. It's almost healed, but I don't want her to worry if she sees it.

Coming up beside me, she picks one up, taking a bite. "Not bad. Go ahead and put another batch in. If we catch them in time, I think they'll be good."

"At least they look like cookies." I pick one up, nibbling on it. Kurama gets me something to put the rest in, and I go ahead and use the remaining batter on another batch, putting it in. The whole thing is so strangely mundane that it almost makes me laugh. Demon kitchen. Sounds like a bad TV show or something.

"Since you don't have plans, Asaki, would you like to join us for dinner?"

I turn from the oven to immediately reject, but I stop, remembering Kurama's words from earlier about friends. Let them care about you, right? "Only if it's no trouble," I say at last.

She smiles hugely, and I'm very glad I said yes if it makes her this happy. "It will be good to have someone to share dinner with. Shuichi never brings any friends home."

"Yes, thank you mother. I am a hermit," he replies, sounding dead serious as he takes one of my messed up cookies from the bag, eating it.

"You're totally defeating the purpose," I tell him, gesturing to the oven.

He shrugs in response. "These are mine, are they not?"

"Well, yes."

Smiling slightly, he takes another. "Then I intend on eating them all."

I blush slightly, turning away from him. "You're hopeless."

Mrs. Minamino laughs. "I hate to say it, but she's right, dear."

Kurama shakes his head. "I'm not sure we should have you over anymore if you're going to turn my own mother against me." For an instant, I worry he's serious, and a pain shoots through my heart, but then he smiles, and I realize he's merely teasing. That opens up a whole new train of thoughts, however. Does that mean he doesn't mind that I've come and invaded his home life? Will I be able to come back some time?

"Don't worry, dear," Mrs. Minamino says to me. "If he doesn't invite you, I certainly will. It's so nice to have another girl in the house."

I grin cheekily at Kurama. "Take that, Shuichi."

He chuckles. "All right, all right. I can't win against you both." He washes his hands, proceeding to help his mom cook dinner. They refuse to let me help, but when it's time to take the cookies out of the oven, Kurama pointedly hands me an oven mitt. I roll my eyes, pulling the cookies out and cheering. They look pretty good.

"I'm going to miss the other ones," Mrs. Minamino says, "but if you're happy, that's what matters."

If I'm happy, that's what matters. I have to add that to a list of things no one has ever said to me that I want to hear again.

When dinner is done, we all sit at the table, eating and talking about things like school and work. I learn that Kurama's mother works for a small company in town and that, in addition to her sweet tooth, she also loves white rice more than I thought anyone could and makes delicious chicken.

The closest I've ever had to a real home-cooked meal is the mess I manage to put together most nights, but this dinner is easily the best food I've ever eaten. It's better than any of the fancy, gourmet meals my father wastes so much money on, and I wish I knew how to properly express my appreciation. If only I was better with people.

Instead, I eat every bite and help wash up at the end, doing everything shy of physically pushing Kurama out of the way so I can clean. After that, I bow myself out, wishing Mrs. Minamino a good night. Kurama walks me to the door, though I kind of feel like skipping. I can't remember ever having felt so light and happy before.

"Thank you for coming over, Asaki."

"Hm?" I look up at Kurama, immediately getting lost in the warm look in his eyes.

"I know things didn't go as you planned, but I haven't seen my mother this happy in a long time."

"I'm glad," I say, smiling myself. "I had a lot of fun. Not to mention dinner was delicious. Tell your mom that for me? I would have said as much, but...I didn't know how."

"I think the way you just told me would have sufficed."

"Yeah, but it's easier to tell you. Or, as easy as it is to tell you anything…." I scratch the back of my head, feeling exposed under his discerning gaze. It makes me want to become a demon again, like if I change my skin, I'll be safe from a far-too-perceptive fox.

"Anyway, thanks again for everything!" I give him a smile, and he lets me out, waving goodbye to me.

When I'm out of sight, I change into a demon, indulging in that urge to skip. As I walk through the front door to my home, I stare, dumbfounded at the person sitting just inside.

* * *

A/N: Oh my goodness, this chapter. It was so much fun to write, and Mrs. Minamino is turning into her own person! Asaki's finally got her issues with Kurama out in the open, so there's going to be some good growth in that direction. On top of that, she's slowly learning how to have relationships with other people. You'll have to pardon the cheesiness of her karaoke song; I thought it would be a fun touch. Thanks for reading, and thank you to _AmericanNidiot, ahyeon, Sidako_ , and one Guest for the reviews :)


	13. Falling in Love

"Asaki!" Botan says, smiling at me. "Sorry for running off like that. I wanted to check on you, ask how it went."

"Fine," I say, frowning. "How did you get in here?"

"Yusuke told me you keep a key under the doormat."

"Are you going to make fun of me for that too?" I ask her. "It's not like there's anything here worth stealing."

She nods, looking around. "It _is_ a very sparse room."

"It's all I need." I sit down on my makeshift bed, picking up Shiro and hugging him to my chest. "Botan, can I ask you a serious question."

"Sure thing." She smiles, and I wonder if this is a good idea.

"What is love?"

She blinks at me, surprised for a moment, before saying, "Well, that depends on the kind of love. It's different from person to person and relationship to relationship. The love friends might share wouldn't be the same as that of two lovers for example."

"Right," I say, sighing.

"When love is shared between a parent and their child, it might feel like safety and comfort and warmth. Your family is supposed to love you unconditionally, and the bonds of blood are said to be strongest." I shake my head, and she shrugs. "As I said, it's different for different people. You've not felt the love of family before, so maybe the love you feel for your friends might be stronger.

"You'd experience a lot of the same things as familial love among your friends to the point that some people claim friends as family. That's how our team sees each other, I think."

"I can understand that," I reply. The way I'd felt when I saw Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama at my father's mansion, the kindness Keiko has shown me, karaoke with Kana and Haruka...that must be the love felt between friends.

"As for lovers, that's often a very different ball game. If you're in love with someone, you might feel nervous to be around them, or maybe you feel more comfortable in their presence than with anyone else. They make your heart beat fast and you cherish their every gesture and word. You miss them terribly when they're gone, and maybe you won't feel whole unless they're by your side once again."

When she stops talking, I notice her face is a little red. "Oh my, it's a little embarrassing to talk about like this. I'm no expert." She looks over at me, eyes wide. "Why do you ask?"

My own face turns bright red, and I bury a hand in the base of my braid. "O-oh, no reason. Just...you know, stupid girl who's bad with people. I wanted a basic rundown on feelings, and...stuff."

"Asaki," Botan purrs, suddenly looking very cat-like. "Are you in love?"

"No!" I shout. "Nope, not me."

"You are, aren't you?" She claps her hands together, grinning. "With whom?"

"Botan," I whine, practically begging her to stop.

"Certainly not Yusuke. He has Keiko. Kuwabara maybe?" She looks at me, frowning and shaking her head. "No, not him either. Oh!" She holds out a hand, bringing her fist down on it. "Kurama!" I bury my face into Shiro, feeling miserable.

"Am I right?" I nod my head, face still hidden by stuffed fox fur. "Oh, Asaki, that's wonderful! Kurama is a little scary, but he's also very kind. Does he know?"

"No!" I shout, looking up at her. "And I'd like to keep it that way. I mean, I only just found out how I feel myself." Tears prick my eyes that evaporate before they get any further. "He doesn't need to know. I've only just come back home, and I don't want to lose him again like I did last time." Squeezing Shiro hard, I shake my head. "This is so stupid. I barely even know him."

"The heart is a strange thing. It will fall in love whether you plan it or not, and it's rarely convenient for either side. If you don't want him to know, you'll just have to live with it until you either move on or he falls for you."

I nod. "I get it." Sighing, I look into Shiro's glassy eyes. "For now, I'll just learn how to deal with it. I like the way love feels, even if it scares me." Suddenly, I shift my gaze to Botan who has a dreamy look on her face. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Who, me?" The guilty look on her face makes me narrow my eyes, getting to my feet and walking over to her.

"Botan, please. I need this to be between you and me."

"Of course," she replies, nodding seriously. "I'm not the best at keeping secrets, but I'll hold my tongue for you." Smiling, she pumps a fist in the air. "Oh, this is so exciting. I'm so happy for you, Asaki!"

"I think I am too," I tell her. Looking at this blue-haired girl, I feel a rush of happy emotion, smiling. Maybe this is the love that friends share.

"Well, I guess I should let you get work done. Tomorrow is a new day, and I can't wait to watch how things develop."

"Hopefully very slowly," I say. "I don't know if I could handle it if it went any faster."

I bid Botan a good night, and she hops on her oar and flies out the window, leaving me alone with knowledge that makes me smile as I go to sleep. Maybe most of my life has been devoid of any kind of love, but all of a sudden, I've got more than I know what to do with. Things can only look up from here.

...

After school the next day, I find a note in my shoe locker asking me to go to Kuwabara's house. Frowning, I toss the note, wondering why no one just asked me while we were in school. I haven't talked to Yusuke or Kuwabara all day, but I also spent most of my free time in the library, still playing catch up. I don't know that either of them have ever seen a book before.

Making my way to Kuwabara's, I decide to stay in demon form. That's how his sister saw me last, so I figure this will make things easier if she's hanging around. I knock on the door to their home, and Shizuru opens the door.

"Hey, kiddo," she says, a cigarette hanging from her mouth. "You here to watch the video too?"

"Yeah," I reply, even though I have no idea what she's talking about.

"Come on in." She steps aside, and I enter, looking around. Nothing has changed in the month since I've been here, though I guess that's normal for most people. "They're in Kazuma's room," she tells me.

"Thank you." I head upstairs in time to catch Kuwabara yelling something. It's muffled behind the door, but when I push it open, three heads turn my way.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Yusuke asks.

"Good to see you too," I say, frowning. "I got a note telling me to come."

"Yes, well, that was me. I thought we could use the extra manpower," Botan explains, smiling sheepishly.

"Why would we need more manpower?" Kuwabara asks.

"Also, she's hardly _man_ power. She's a girl," Yusuke adds.

"Wanna say that again?" I ask, a fireball appearing in my hand.

"Nah, I'm good," he replies, his voice higher than usual. "I don't really want to be roasted."

"Anyway, let's start this thing," Botan says. Kuwabara sighs, pressing play on the tape. Koenma appears, parodying the Columbia movie logo and then the MGM one, and I shake my head.

"They go all out, huh?" Kuwabara says, looking slightly unnerved.

"Either he's full of himself or he's really bored," Yusuke adds, looking a little sick himself.

Koenma finally shows up on the screen without the cheesy branding, sitting in a chair that he turns to face us. "Welcome. How do you like my video? The great Koenma, ruler of the Spirit World has yet another important case for you."

We sit and listen as Koenma explains the mission of search and rescue. Apparently, an ice apparition by the name of Yukina is being held in a stronghold 200 miles from here. When Koenma says the name of the man holding her captive, I stiffen.

Gonzo Tarukane, a black market thug who specializes in priceless jewels, is the bastard holding her hostage. He's a business and gambling partner of my father's, but not necessarily by choice. The last time I saw him, I had to refrain from melting off his face. He's sick, sadistic, and only cares about money. That would explain why he has no qualms in making a girl cry for the jewels produced by her tears.

"Oh, I feel awful for her," Botan says. "We have to leave today."

Kuawbara gets to his feet, surprising all of us. "What's his deal?" Yusuke asks, looking up at the guy. My orange-haired classmate glances down at us, his face red. "You look miserable," Yusuke adds.

"I think I'm in love," is all the big guy has to say. I frown, wondering if it's really that easy. What had Botan said last night? You fall in love whether you plan to or not? Makes me feel better about my own stupid feelings.

"What?"

"Come on, Urameshi," he cries, striking a goofy pose. "Let's send those bad guys to the moon!"

"I thought you weren't coming," Yusuke mumbles. If I'm being recruited for this mission, I'm pretty sure Kuwabara doesn't have much of a choice either.

"Shut up!" Kuwabara says. "Don't try to dress up the facts again. I'm a good friend, and I can't let you go save her alone. She's suffering!" Just then, Kuwabara looks over our heads, and I see his sister has entered the room, a tray in her hands. "Uh, Shizuru?"

"How long have you been here?" Botan asks.

"Calm down, princess," Shizuru replies. "I just heard you watching that weirdo movie, so I thought you'd like some kiddie snacks or something." I try not to laugh at her words. She's really got a lot of sass.

"We're just watching fuzz," Yusuke lies.

"Yes, we find it relaxing," Botan adds weakly. That's so bad. Even I could have lied better, and I'm horrible at it.

"Oh. Well, I must have imagined the little boy with the pacifier giving you orders," Shizuru deadpans.

"Haha. Kids today with their wild imaginations," Yusuke tries.

"Give up, Yusuke," Botan sighs. "Spirit awareness must run in the Kuwabara family."

"Okay, Shizuru, you win, now can we have some money for the bus?" Kuwabara demands. "Like, maybe a million or so? That's enough, right?" And I thought I used to have a poor concept of how money worked.

"Kid, for a million you could take a bus to Hawaii. Here's fifty." Shizuru tosses her wallet to Kuwabara who catches it easily.

"Okay, I'll see you guys in a couple days!" Kuwabara cries, running out the door.

"Do you think he knows the way to the mountain?" Botan asks.

I shake my head, smiling. "Not a chance, but he's going to try."

"That's my baby brother for you," Shizuru says. "Don't worry, he'll be back in a few hours when he realizes he doesn't know where he's going. In the meantime, let's eat some snacks and watch that video again."

…

The bus ride over is mostly uneventful. Once we leave the city, it's nothing but greenery all around us, something the boys don't seem to care about.

"Yo, Asaki."

"Yo, Yusuke." I'd honestly thought he was sleeping with the way he'd been lounging in his seat, even despite Kuwabara punching him periodically for getting too close.

"Why do you bother with your human form when it's so pathetic?"

"Yusuke!" Botan cries, making a few heads turn. "Sorry!"

"It's fine," I say, keeping my voice low. "I don't expect it to make sense to someone who's spent his whole life looking for his next fight."

"I can't tell if you're trying to insult me or not," Yusuke grumbles.

"I wasn't; just stating a fact. When I first came here, I spent most of my time as a demon out of habit, but honestly, the ability to be a human and not get in trouble for it was such a nice thing that I started going around like that whenever possible. I went to school as a demon, so I had to stay that way, but when I met the woman who hired me at my job, I was human. So, demon at school, human at work, and whatever whenever in-between."

"Makes sense," Kuwabara nods, like he totally gets it.

"Yeah, lot of good it's done her. She keeps getting into trouble because she can't see things," Yusuke says, sticking a finger in his ear.

"That was one time, thank you. Besides, it's not like the average human can beat me in my human form, anyway, so what does it matter? I'm still the same person, regardless of my species."

"True, but I think I'd rather be in ass-whooping mode all the time."

"Typical boy," Botan sighs as the bus finally reaches our destination.

Getting off at the bus stop, I sigh, looking out on familiar scenery. I hate this place so much, and I've only been here once before.

"Wow, what a waste of space," Yusuke says, staring at the mountain.

"You know, Yusuke, some people like the wilderness," Botan snaps.

"Yeah, old hermits and people who don't know how to talk to girls," Yusuke replies. Kuwabara ignores the chitchat, walking forward into the trees. "Hey, where are you going?" As they move to follow him, I slip away into the forest.

These guys plan to head straight for the fight. I'm going to head straight for Yukina if I can. Koenma's words ring in my brain as I move forward as quickly as possible. _Yukina is Hiei's sister_. For all the time I've known that awful little demon, I never knew he had a sister. Not that he would have shared that with me. I wasn't exactly forthcoming about myself when we met either.

I owe Hiei a lot, and if I can help his sister, then maybe I can repay a little of my debt.

* * *

A/N: Back to the anime plot we go! I realized I never explicitly stated why Asaki swaps between human and demon forms, so I thought this would be a good place to throw that in. I'm sorry if it gets difficult to keep up with. I've been trying to create specific situations where she would use one or the other, so if she's at school, it's demon, and if she's at work/with Kurama's mother, it's human. There are in-between times that I've got to watch out for! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to AmericanNidiot, Sidako, and one Guest for the reviews!


	14. In Over My Head

The front door seems like a good place to start. I approach with caution, sensing the landmines beneath the ground. While they can't hurt me, my goal is to not draw attention to myself. The guards at the door don't spot me until I'm right beside them.

"Halt! Who goes there!?"

I stand as tall as I can, glad I changed out of my school uniform and into something a little less childish-looking. I've tagged along with my father often enough to know exactly how to get by with people like this.

"Asaki Anno. I have permission to be here on behalf of Taro Anno. I was told there's a girl I ought to see. Tarukane thought my father might be interested."

The men exchange looks, one of them looking me up and down as if considering. "No one told us anything about that."

"Give me one good reason the master would tell his pawns any more than they needed to know?" I growl. "My father is a very dangerous man to trifle with. Are you sure you want to risk not letting me in?"

The man I just spoke to takes a step backward, and the other one follows suit after a moment. "Apologies, ma'am. Come inside."

I internally sigh in relief that I haven't lost my touch. My father might be proud of me, though I shudder to think it. "I'll inform Tarukane that you're here," one of the guards says.

"No need," I reply, keeping my voice and my gaze level as I walk away.

"Wait, Miss Anno, where are you going?"

"To see the girl," I state, not looking back. The moment I'm out of sight of the guards, I break into a run, counting my lucky stars that I can feel the cold she's putting off and can see her faint energy signal. Stealth has never been my strong suit, so every time I pass another person, I have to stop and walk past slowly, emanating the cold veneer I used whenever I was with my father. It's amazing what confidence can do for a person, even if it's just pretend, because no one stops me.

I get to her cell, and the air suddenly goes sub-zero. I flinch, my brain going blank despite how hard I try to hold on. Not the cold. I can't handle the cold. Just as I'm about to lose myself, the air warms again, and I find a pair of red eyes on me.

"Who are you?" the girl asks, the sad look on her face hitting me like a bag of bricks.

"A friend," I reply, taking slow breaths to regain myself. I need to get a grip if a little cold can break me like that. "I'm here to help you."

"Just go away!" she shouts at me. "They'll only hurt you too."

"Funny thing about that," I say, shrugging. "They can't."

"Want to test that?" a voice behind me says. I turn to find Tarukane himself flanked by a huge demon wearing sunglasses, another with scraggly hair and a manic expression riding on his shoulder. When he sees my face, he frowns. "So, it really is Anno's girl."

"Surprise," I reply. "I'm not big on lying. Not my forte."

"Your attitude is really annoying, you know that?" he grunts. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Do your guards not tell you anything? I came to look at the girl." I jab a finger over my shoulder at Yukina. "I heard rumor about an ice apparition who cries jewels for tears, so I thought I'd check it out."

"That sounds like a load of crap to me," he spits.

"Believe whatever you want. You can't really afford to test me, can you?" I put a hand on my hip, digging into myself for some fire to hold onto. I'm frightened, but it has nothing to do with the short man before me and everything to do with the demons behind him. Their energy signatures seem so small, but I can tell they're repressing them somehow, which means they must have immense amounts since I can still feel it at all.

Tarukane grunts. "Your old man would have to be pretty ballsy to send his only daughter to my house with no defenses."

"I don't like how you insinuate I can't protect myself," I retort, heating the air with my energy.

He narrows his eyes. "Hey, now, no need to get angry. Anno has always been a jackass about stuff like this."

"That may be the only thing we'll ever agree on," I reply. "Question for you. How much for the apparition?"

Tarukane laughs. "She ain't for sale, kid. She's a never-ending gold mine. Your old man don't have enough cash to take her from me."

I nod. "Figured."

"Look," Tarukane says, "as much as I'd like to catch up, I got other plans, and you don't strike me as the gambling type."

"Enlighten me," I tell him, narrowing my eyes. Gambling?

"I don't like explaining myself more than once. Come with me." I don't want to leave Yukina, but something tells me I've gotten myself in over my head. Maybe I can't feel pain, and maybe I can heal really well, but neither of those things will do me any good if Tarukane can trap me here like he did Yukina.

I can feel the paper wards he's put in her cell like pinpricks in the back of my mind, and they make me sick. If he can use those to trap her, there's no telling what he could do to me if he finds out I'm lying through my teeth. The only thing to do is keep on bluffing.

With one last look at Yukina whose red eyes follow my every move, I turn, following Tarukane, the two demons right behind me. I can feel their gazes boring into the back of my head, and I wonder if they aren't much more dangerous than any pieces of paper ever could be.

We enter a big room with five monitors that are already lit up with the faces of five men, all of whom I've seen at least once before and hoped never to again. When they spot me, one with a long white beard laughs.

"Tarukane, you didn't tell us you'd let Anno's daughter in on the fun."

"I ain't just yet," Tarukane responds. "She's graced me with her presence, but she don't know the bets."

"I'm all ears," I say, yawning like the whole affair bores me. There's only one door to this room, blocked by a human. If I need to, I can probably make a diversion and escape. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

"There's intruders making their way into my place. A couple of human boys and a girl. We're placing bets on whether Toguro's twelve demons can't take 'em out."

Toguro. I know that name, but I'm drawing a blank right now. I can only assume that's the name of one of the demons standing off to the right with the weird power levels. "Is that all?" I ask.

"I like her spunk," one of the other men, this one with a thick accent, laughs.

"Spunk ain't nothing. Got the guts to make a bet?" Tarukane leers.

"Maybe if I had more than a few thousand yen on me. I may be here on behalf of my father, but I'm pretty sure he'd kill me if he knew I was betting his money away."

"Hey, all bets are good here, sweetheart," he almost purrs. I think I may be sick.

I shrug. "All right. A thousand on the humans, then." I hate gambling, but is it really a gamble if I know the odds are stacked in my favor? The humans have to be Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan, although "human" doesn't really work for her. What could these guys have to throw at them that they couldn't handle?

He grins. "Looks like you're good for playing with us after all."

I cross my arms, aiming to look defiant, but really, it's to hold myself together. All of the men before me make me sick. They're black market dealers called the Black Black Club who take advantage of whoever and whatever, regardless of species, not caring who they kill or step on. Being complimented by one of them is enough to make me sick. Too bad I'm preoccupied with being afraid.

The bigger demon grunts, and all eyes go to him. "That's strange. Six of my fighters' Spirit Energies have disappeared all at once."

"What?" Tarukane gasps, looking worried.

The large demon smiles. "They're even more impressive than I thought."

 _Way to go Yusuke and Kuwabara!_ The fact that they're on my way eases my nerves a little. Tarukane looks back at the screen, and I follow suit in time to see the boys finish off a few demons.

They exchange words we can't hear before moving forward again. The Black Black Club members laugh off the losses they apparently suffered from betting on Toguro's demons, with the younger man on the end smirking at his winnings. Sakyo, I think. Apparently, he'd bet on Yusuke's group. Tarukane introduces his next line of defense with a smug grin.

Three demons appear out of nowhere behind us, and I sigh. Their power levels don't feel very high, but then again, I've been wrong before. There's a girl with purple hair, who calls herself Miyuki, another dressed in black called Inmaki, and a giant brown-skinned demon named Gokumonki. I could take them out if I wanted to blow my cover. As it is, I have to keep playing pretend or else I'll be in serious trouble.

The men on the screens mutter about how powerful this group called the Demon Triad is, and I wonder where they get their information from. I hope they forked over a lot of cash for it, the bastards.

"Next round of bets!" Tarukane calls out. Four of the Club bet on the Triad while the fifth, easily the youngest out of the group and the only winner of the bids before once again bets on Yusuke and Kuwabara. I follow suit, though all I have is a piddly two thousand yen now. It's nothing compared to the millions and billions these guys have to play with, but it keeps Tarukane from kicking me out.

If things go wrong with the guys, I'll have to step in, which I'm not eager to do with those demons still a mystery to me. Why do I know the name Toguro?

Explosions shake me out of my reverie as the Black Black Club cries out. "It sounds like a war zone out there!"

"Landmines," I say, stretching my arms above my head. "Sounds like fun." The men eye me, looking somewhat frightened. "What? Little fire and gunpowder never hurt me."

"Bit of a firebrand," Tarukane says. "Anyway, those boys'll be toast now." I don't know why stupid people insist on shoving their feet in their mouths. When the fire clears on the screen, Yusuke and Kuwabara step out of the conflagration, completely unharmed. Tarukane's jaw drops. "Who are these people?"

We all watch with me trying not to laugh as the boys make mincemeat of the Demon Triad as predicted. When it's all over and they flash us a cheeky victory sign, Tarukane growls in anger. I smirk, finding a similar expression on the only bidder not to root for the demons. Sakyo looks perfectly at ease with all his winnings. His information is clearly better than the other men, and I wonder what he knows that they don't.

"I say we all bet on whatever team Sakyo does to win back all our money!" the Club agrees, making Tarukane laugh.

"Well, you better do it all in one shot because there's only one more bet," he says.

The scraggly-haired demon starts to giggle as the large one says, "Yes, brother, now it's finally our turn to fight." Chills race down my spine at those words.

"Who will win the final battle? The intruders or the Toguro brothers?" Tarukane's words make my expression fall for an instant before I regain my composure. That's right. The Toguro brothers. Ruthless, dangerous, and far more powerful than Yusuke and Kuwabara can hope to compete with. My stomach falls to my feet.

"All eyes are on you, Sakyo," Tarukane laughs. "What's the call?"

Sakyo doesn't falter, his face calm as he says, "Sixty-six trillion and two-hundred million."

The room goes dead silent, only broken by Tarukane saying, "Huh?"

Sakyo's voice grows stern as he repeats the number. "Sixty-six trillion two-hundred million on the intruders' victory."

Tarukane gets to his feet. "Sixty-six trillion two-hundred million?!" Broken records I hear. That's an insane amount of money, and I wonder what on earth is going through Sakyo's mind as he looks down at us.

"That's ridiculous!" the Club men cry. "That's more than Japan's gross national product."

"That's more than any country's product," Tarukane gasps.

"But, by my calculations, that is your gross product," Sakyo's calm voice interjects, "if you include the hirusecki stone creator." They must mean Yukina. I ball my hands into fists at the callous way he speaks about her. If Hiei were here, he would dice them all into tiny pieces. I'm tempted to myself, despite my fear.

"So, Tarukane could pay up," one of the men acknowledges. They decide as a group not to gamble, figuring they'll watch to see which of the high-rollers is permanently ruined. That's a pity. I was hoping they would all go broke here and now.

"Fine!" Tarukane shouts. "I'm taking your bet." He turns to the Toguro's, snapping, "You'd better not let me down."

The smaller brother giggles again, and the bigger one removes his jacket, cracking his knuckles. "I might enjoy myself."

As the Toguro's set themselves in motion, I catch the tail end of Tarukane's whispered conversation with the other man in the room. "-don't let the Black Black Club know she's the one. We are all going to have to play our cards very carefully."

That's the understatement of the year.

* * *

 **A/N:I always figured Asaki would need to have a business face, like she can turn off herself so that she's confident and strong and very fake around strangers and especially her father's old business partners. Having her kind of watch how things are going and laugh at Tarukane seemed like the right way to go with this, so I apologize that she's not in on the action. Thanks for reading!**


	15. Killing Begets Killing

I stand beside Yukina, keeping a close eye on her and on the room below us as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan step inside. When they spot me, Yusuke frowns, but other than that, he gives no indication that he knows me. I'm relieved but not as much as I would be if the glass between us was the last obstacle they had to overcome.

Instead, they have to fight the Toguro Brothers. I sigh, running a hand through my hair. If things get dicey, I have to step in. If nothing else, I'll be a good punching bag until Hiei gets here. I can feel his energy lurking. Koenma's crazy if he thinks he can keep anything from that guy.

I can't hear what's going on through the glass we're set behind, but I find that relieving. The Toguro brothers have a reputation for being ruthless and incredibly strong, two things that will likely put Yusuke and Kuwabara in the way of a serious thrashing.

The scraggly-haired Toguro stands, his body twisting until he's roughly sword-like, and I have to refrain from grabbing my stomach as it rolls over. That's disgusting. What is that guy made of?

Yusuke and Kuwabara dive at the pair, one at a time, delivering blows that don't even seem to effect the demons, while the opposite is true of the blows the boys receive. Their bodies are flung around like dolls, and even when Kuwabara manifests a sword made of pure energy, it still isn't enough.

After a while of astonished watching, Tarukane's voice cuts through. "So, how are you gonna pay me the trillions, Sakyo, my boy, cash or credit?" He laughs, and I shudder, watching as Yusuke's body is tossed onto the ground. Neither he no Kuwabara are standing.

"Make sure you take some extra time with them, Toguro. I know how all you demon creatures are into torturing. Besides, my Black Black Club could use some good, dirty fun." He cackles again, and I ball my hands into fists, disgusted. Tarukane turns to Yukina who has looked away, reaching over to touch her chin.

"Hey, why ain't you looking baby? I know it's the way you like it. Humans getting killed cuz of you. Just like that last one."

At his words, I slap his hand away from her. "Get your filthy paws off her," I growl. He takes a step back, dumbfounded as I knock out the two men holding onto the ice apparition. She stares at me in shock, but her eyes are cold. So cold.

"Hang onto this," I tell her, pulling out a piece of paper from my pocket. I set it on fire and hand it to her. "As long as you keep your hand there, the flame won't come any closer, and no one can touch you."

Tarukane glares at me, outraged. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Intervening," I reply, shattering the glass between this room and the next and vaulting in, standing between the brothers and the boys.

The larger Toguro raises an eyebrow at me. "Did you want to play too, little girl?"

I roll my shoulders, affecting a carefree facade. "Yeah, I was getting a bit bored just watching. Thought I'd give it a go."

He smirks, laughing. "Don't expect me to go easy on you."

"I'd be insulted if you did," I reply, jumping at him, hands flaming. He steps back from my fists, launching one of his at my gut. I stagger back a step, with a small smile. "I hope you don't like those glasses." They crack, dropping from his eyes.

"Lucky shot." He lunges at me, and I stand in place, letting his fist connect with my face before ramming a flaming hand into his gut. He winces slightly, stepping back. "Hm. That's interesting." Touching the slightly burnt flesh of his stomach, he grins. "You've got my attention."

Another hit from him pushes me back a few feet when suddenly, I feel a mass of spirit energy behind me. Kuwabara's voice echoes in my ears as he cries out, "Disgraceful." Looking back, I see he's covered in a glowing gold-orange aura, his eyes burning with anger.

"And you call yourself a man," he snarls. "Seeing you live makes me sick." He can't mean the Toguros, can he?

"Interesting," the bigger brother says. "Your spirit power has increased greatly." He laughs, grabbing my shoulder and shoving me to the ground. "You'll be much more fun than this one."

"Get lost," Kuwabara snaps. "I'll have to deal with you and your brother some other time. Tarukane's the one I was talking to."

Tarukane has regained his composure, but I notice that no one has hold of Yukina. That charm I made must be working, thank goodness. "What?" the wart asks. "You wanna beat me up?" He throws his head back, laughing. "Sorry, kid, but I'm too expensive. Toguro, I want this creep fried extra-crispy. Kill the girl too for all I care." He spits at me, but I can't take my eyes off of Sakyo. He's got this look on his face like he's still in control. When he sees my expression, he gives me a wry smile that churns my insides.

"You heard him," Toguro says, making me turn back to the battle at hand. "We don't have a choice."

"Get out of my way!" Kuwabara charges forward, his Spirit Sword in hand but all of his hits manage to only glance off of the arm-guard the other Toguro has turned into. When the bigger brother goes to swing at Kuwabara, I push him away, taking the blow for myself and blocking the two from each other.

"Move, Asaki!" Kuwabara shouts. I look back at him, gauging the young man standing behind me. The resolve in his eyes is the only thing that could possibly have moved me from that spot. I step to the side, dashing behind the Toguros and back to Yukina's side, taking the ward from her and letting it crumple into ashes.

Below us, Kuwabara charges at the larger brother again, sword at the ready. "The battle ends!" The big Toguro cries, readying his own sword.

"Kuwabara, here it comes!" Yusuke shouts, raising his finger to point at our classmate's back. He launches energy at Kuwabara's back, propelling the guy forward, his sword piercing straight through the other fighter. Everyone stares, dumbfounded as the brothers fall to the ground, Kuwabara landing on top of them before rolling off onto the dirt.

"What just happened?" Tarukane cries.

"Simple, old friend." Sakyo's calm voice floats cleanly over our heads as he says, "You lost the bet. I believe sixty-six trillion fifty billion two-hundred million is the total you owe me." His monitor goes black, leaving Tarukane standing stock-still in horror.

"Well, Tarukane," one of the other members of the Club says. "I know you founded our club, but we can't associate with poor men."

"Goodbye," another says. "Have fun standing in the bread line." The men laugh as their own monitors go black, leaving us in silence.

Tarukane turns to his servant. "Now, start the chopper, and make sure Yukina's with us."

I grab the demon in question by the hand, putting her behind me. "Over my dead body," I growl at him, reveling in the infuriated look on his face as the door out of the room opens to reveal a seriously pissed-looking Hiei. I could hug him if I didn't think he'd kill me.

He dashes in, rendering all the guards in the room unconscious before stepping in front of Tarukane. "The game's over, you ugly fool," he growls. "I saw the talisman cards hung in the tower. That explains why I couldn't find her with my Jagan Eye. But you can't run from death forever."

He's really going to kill Tarukane…. I don't blame him, but if he does, he'll be in serious trouble with Spirit World. Killing humans is one of the biggest crimes a demon can commit, regardless of how rotten the person in question is.

"Wait," Tarukane says. "I don't know who you are, but if it's money you want, we can talk." He points to Yukina who is staring at Hiei with wide eyes. "That broad back there makes jewels you wouldn't believe. We could pump millions from her."

Holy crap but he just walked into what happens next. Hiei sends his fist into Tarukane's disgusting face, cracking the man's head against what's left of the glass. I watch, transfixed as the demon unleashes his anger, blow after blow until Yusuke's voice floats up from below.

"Stop it, Hiei! Don't kill him."

Hiei freezes for a moment and then shakes his head, grabbing Tarukane by the collar of his shirt and pulling back his fist. "They're just afraid of justice." Before he can land the blow, before I can even move to stop him, Yukina dashes out from behind me, grabbing onto Hiei's arm.

"No!" she cries. "Please. No more. I beg of you."

Hiei looks at her, startled. "Are you crazy? Is this not the man who tormented you and made you his slave?"

"He is. I have to bear that. Taking his life can't wash away all that he's done to me." Her words are so brave, and they strike a chord in my heart. I think of my own tormentor and I find myself tearing up at her words. "It will only bring more pain. Just more nightmares." She takes a deep breath, begging, "Please no more. I can't take it," as tears stream from her eyes. They land on the floor with clacks, already priceless jewels.

"Understood," Hiei says. "I won't make you cry. He's too worthless for that."

"How can I ever thank you?" she asks him, and I smile. I wonder if she'll ever realize she already has. I think just being here, alive and beside him, is all the thanks he'll need.

They both turn to see Yusuke and Botan run over to Kuwabara, everything silent except for their footsteps. I sigh at the unconscious form of Tarukane, wondering for the first time in five months whatever happened to Hide. Maybe he died on his own somewhere….

"You seem familiar." Yukina's voice breaks the silence, and I look up to see her staring at a shocked Hiei. "But I'm not sure why. Who are you?"

He stares at her for a moment longer before looking away. "No one. Just a member...of the team." So he's not going to tell her. I brush some dirt off my face, suppressing a sigh. It's none of my business, I guess. I'm just happy they're together.

"Oh, no!" Yukina cries. "I forgot about them." With that, she runs out of the room, presumably to help Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan who'd been hanging back the whole time.

I watch her go, wondering if I shouldn't follow when a voice says, "I guess I didn't need to come here after all." Jumping, I look to see Kurama standing in the shadows, a small smile on his face.

"How long have you been here?" Hiei asks. "Long enough, right?"

"Why don't you want to tell the girl?" Kurama says, dodging the question. "She deserves to know she has a brother."

"She deserves to be happy."

"I thought the two were the same," Kurama says, chuckling lightly.

Hiei shakes his head. "This is the way I want it."

"Which means we have to respect it, right?" I reply, smiling.

"Tell her, and I'll kill you," is his reply.

"Careful, Hiei. Keep giving me lines like that and I might start to think you're tough." I grin at him, and he snorts derisively, making me laugh as footsteps catch my attention.

"Wow, we've got a full house, huh?" Yusuke says as he steps into the room, Botan behind him.

Hiei ignores his words, brushing past us and out of sight. I sigh at his back, wondering how relieved he must be to know his sister is alive and safe at last.

"By the way." Yusuke takes a step toward me. "Why the hell didn't you tell us you were leaving to bust in alone?"

"Botan knew," I reply, looking at her.

She held up her hands, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Yusuke. She didn't want to make a big deal of it." Botan frowns. "Although, you took quite a few blows from Toguro. Are you all right?"

I nod. "No sweat. I've eaten food that hit harder than he did."

"Are you serious?" Yusuke asks. "He hits like ten sacks of bricks."

I shrug, grinning. "Maybe to a human."

"All right, you half-demon weirdo, let's go. You and me, right now."

"Pass," I reply. "If I burn too close to you, I'll melt all the hair gel out of your hair." Botan giggles at my words, and Yusuke shakes his head, grinning.

"Got jokes, huh?" he quips just as a ringing echoes through the room.

"I think that's Koenma," Botan says, pulling out the compact mirror. "Give me a moment." She steps out of the room, and I stretch, wondering how long it will take to get back home.

"You have a surprisingly good poker face for someone who claims to be terrible at lying." I look over at Kurama, my heart jumping slightly. I haven't seen him since Botan helped me figure out what I plan on doing with my new feelings for him. He looks good dressed all in white with a purple sash around his waist.

"I'm not good at lying to people I care about," I say. "When it comes to 'people' like these guys, all I have to do is remember when I lived with my father. Different business partners got different sides of me. The last time I saw Tarukane, I had to pretend to be arrogant and confident." I sigh, running a hand over my face. "Not that it was easy by any stretch of the imagination. But...I wanted to get close to Yukina in case the guys didn't make it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Yusuke growls. "You know, it might have been easier with you actually fighting by our side."

"That's entirely fair," I reply. "But I knew you wouldn't need me until the end. I did manage to be a good distraction." I smile as Botan comes back into the room, looking grave-faced.

"Koenma wants us to meet at Yusuke's after we see Yukina off," she says.

"Why?" Yusuke asks, frowning.

Botan turns those purpleish eyes on me. "Apparently, it's about you, Asaki."

* * *

A/N: Nothing particularly new here except for Asaki's ability to take a beating. She likes watching events unfold and has gained a penchant for looking after other people, something that's going to get her in trouble very soon. Thanks for reading, and thank you to AmericanNidiot and guests Yukina, Blue Rose, and brii for the reviews!


	16. Pain

Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara make sure Yukina finds her way to an icy place where she'll be safe from people while Kurama, Botan, and I wait at Yusuke's for the trio to return. No one is home, but apparently, they don't lock the apartment.

Botan keeps casting looks between Kurama and I, and I wish she would stop. I trusted the wrong person with a secret this big. Sighing, I close my eyes, focusing on putting the finishing touches on my healing bruises. Botan told me on our way back that she has healing powers of her own, but apparently, mine are much more extensive and work much faster.

When the guys get back, Kuwabara looks like he's been hit by a truck. Sadness bows him over, and he forgoes a couch to sit on the floor. Hiei stands off to one side, and Yusuke plops on the couch beside Botan. Kurama is leaning against a wall, and I'm on the other couch when Botan speaks.

"Asaki, Koenma wants me to ask you about a rumor he'd heard a while ago."

"Shoot," I say.

"Is it true that you can't feel pain?"

I frown, wondering why Koenma cares. "Is that it? I was a little worried you were going to ask me something difficult." Leaning back against the cushions, I say, "Yeah, that's true."

"No way," Yusuke retorts. "What do you mean you can't feel pain? Everyone gets hurt sometimes."

Getting to my feet, I reach for the knife in my purse only to remember how upset Kurama had been the last time I cut myself. I look over at him, but his green eyes are narrowed in thought. Crap. There goes my easy out.

Before I can think of another way to show them, I hear movement behind me. Suddenly, I look down to see Hiei's sword sticking out of my stomach.

"Hiei!" Yusuke shouts. "What the hell are you doing?"

He pulls the sword out, grunting. "It's a waste of time not to give a demonstration."

"Don't you think that was a bit much?" I growl at him. "I liked this shirt. You could have just hit my arm or something."

Looking away, he sheathes his sword, not even bothering to wipe the blood off. Gross. Botan walks over to me, shaky on her feet. "H-here," she says, touching the hole in my shirt and fixing it.

"Thanks," I say. "I wish I could do that."

"Hold on a sec," Yusuke says. "That seriously didn't hurt you?"

"Do I look like I'm in pain?" I ask, sitting back down on the couch.

"Well, no." Yusuke frowns. "Does that mean I could punch you in the face and you wouldn't even feel it?"

"Yes," I say. "But I'm tired of getting attacked by my 'friends', so let's not." I glare at Hiei who merely grunts.

"How does that work?" Botan asks, settling beside me.

I blink, not really expecting that question. "What do you mean?"

"Have you always been like this?"

"Oh. Um, no." I clench my hands tightly in my lap. "Not always."

"There's a story here," Yusuke says. "Spill. I know your old man's a dick, but locking you up doesn't make you incapable of getting hurt."

"I don't really-"

"Get it over with," Hiei snaps. "The sooner you tell them, the sooner I can go home."

"Thanks a lot, you prick," I growl. "It's pretty easy when it's not yours to tell, isn't it?"

"I can tell them if you want," is his reply.

"Piss off," I snap, grabbing the base of my braid and pulling it over my shoulder, fiddling with the end. "It's not a good story."

"You don't have to tell us if it's hard, Asaki," Botan murmurs, taking one of my hands in hers.

I shrug. "I guess this is part of learning to trust people, right?" I squeeze her hand, sighing. "Just, brace yourselves. It's a bit rough." There's a rustling behind me and Kurama settles onto the couch beside me. The concern in his eyes almost makes me want to cry. Instead, I take a deep breath.

"I've always had these really strong healing powers. I'm not sure why. My father is an ice demon, and my mom...well, she was a normal human. Anyway, it might sound great on the surface, being able to heal just about any wound…." Swallowing, I tug on my braid. "But what happens when someone finds out and decides he wants to test the limits of that power?"

"Define 'test'?" Yusuke asks.

Botan shushes him. "Let her talk."

I sigh. "Pain. Constant, unimaginable pain from countless sources. He burned me, whipped me, crushed my limbs and bones...but his favorite was cutting. He had this knife he carried on him all the time that he would use to carve me up whenever he got bored." My voice breaks on the last word, and Botan's hand squeezes mine tightly.

"Anyway, after a while, my body shut down. In order to save me, to keep just a shred of sanity, whatever was inside me that registered pain just...stopped. He didn't like that. I guess it's less fun to torture someone when they don't scream or cry, not that it stopped him"

I shrug, the tears in my eyes evaporating. "It must have been a hundred years before…." I look over at Kurama, sighing. "Well, I decided I'd had enough and fought my way to this city."

Botan has tears in her eyes as she asks, "Who would do something so awful?"

"Her ex-fiance," Hiei says, answering for me. I'm both relieved and kind of annoyed.

"Fiance?!" Yusuke gasps.

"Hide. He doesn't matter anymore. I haven't seen him since I kicked his ass, and I hope I never do again." I let go of Botan's hand, tugging on my braid again. "Anything else you need to know?" I ask her.

"W-well," she says, wiping her tears. "The other question I had was, how do you and Hiei know each other?"

I frown. "You've got a list of the crimes I've committed in Spirit World, but you don't know that?"

"Spirit World's intelligence system isn't without its flaws," Hiei states.

Sighing, I say, "Well, Hiei and I stole some stuff together a while ago."

"Why would you team up with shorty?" Yusuke asks.

"I was angry." Fire forms in my hand, and I stare at the dancing flame, heat emanating from it in waves. "So very angry. Hiei promised it would make me feel better to steal from the people who hurt me, and it did for a while. But it didn't make me feel whole. He was pretty mad when I ditched him."

"Your weakness nearly got me killed," he grunted.

"Nearly. Anyway." I get to my feet. "Next time Koenma wants me to spill my guts about my past, he'd better come here himself." With that, I walk out of Yusuke's house, breaking into a run when I hit the street.

I don't get very far when a voice calls out, "Asaki!" I stop, flames pouring from my hands as Kurama comes closer. He doesn't say anything at first, and slowly, the fires die, and I'm left with nothing but my own warmth.

"I told them it wasn't a good story," I mumble. "But it's mine. Feel free to call me a freak, make fun of me, leave me if you want. I know I'm broken, but I refuse to let it keep me down. Even if that means I have to be alone."

"Asaki, I'm not going anywhere." He grabs my wrist when I don't look at him, and I meet his green eyes, taken aback by how serious they look. His hand slides down to meet mine, and he holds tight as he says, "It doesn't matter to me what happened to you in the past, and I think you'll find the same is true for everyone else who was in that room. You're beyond that man and the things he did to you, and with every step you take, you'll keep moving until he's so far behind you he won't matter anymore.

"Until then, if you falter, I'll be there to help you keep moving forward."

I turn to him, wrapping the hand that's holding mine in my other one and staring down at them. "Thanks, Kurama." I smile up at him through my tears, my newfound love for him practically singing in my chest. I squeeze his hand between mine before pulling away. "I'm so glad we're friends."

He smiles too. "As am I. Would you like me to walk you home?"

I shake my head. "Thanks, but I think I could use some time alone."

"I understand. Have a good night, Asaki."

"You too." I wave goodbye, heading back and letting my hands burn a little. It makes me feel safe, like no one can touch me. No men with knives hiding and waiting to spring on me the moment I let my guard down….

I stop at the door to my apartment, my heart pounding at what's lying on my doormat. Picking up the envelope very carefully, I see it's addressed to me from my father this time. When I flip it over, I find his wax seal holding the letter shut.

"Official this time, huh?" Slowly, I open it, pointing it away from my face just in case. Nothing happens, to my relief, and I take out the paper inside. As I peruse the note, clearly written by one of my father's servants, my stomach plummets through my feet.

He wants me to come to the second residence again to discuss school and an upcoming event he needs my assistance with, which sounds like a load of bullcrap. What could be coming that I would care about? I keep staring at the words "discuss school", feeling nauseous. That's what worries me. I'd forged my father's signature to get into Sarayashiki, and no one had questioned it. However, if he contacts whatever high school I want to go to and tells them he doesn't want me there, I'm going to be in trouble.

I ram my fist into the door, sighing. Fantastic.

…

The next day, I head to the library, still trying to think of ways to get out of going to my father's when I pass a bunch of rubberneckers staring at the destroyed wall of a building, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I'm still in demon form, which is why I can feel the sudden surge in energy from somewhere behind me as a monstrous sound reaches my ears.

"What now?" I whine, racing toward it. I don't have to go far to find a collapsed parking garage up ahead and...the Toguro that Kuwabara had killed walking this way. He stops, looking up to a rooftop. I follow his gaze to find Kurama and Hiei looking down at him.

They exchange words I can't hear before Toguro continues walking my way. He sees me, and a smirk appears on his face. "Too bad you can't join in the fun," he says. "I'm curious how hard I'd have to hit you to make you scream."

"You and everyone else," I reply, crossing my arms. "I hope the next time someone kills you you stay down."

He laughs, walking toward me. I hold my ground, and he shoves my shoulder, sending me through the nearest building. Concrete falls around me, but rather than getting up, I stay buried, breathing deeply until that horrendous amount of energy is gone. I knew the Toguros were strong, but he barely touched me and did this. Taking a deep breath, I push out of the rubble, coughing up blood as I tumble into someone's arms.

"Are you okay?" Kurama asks as I cling to him for a moment.

"Fine," I say, letting him help me to my feet and wiping off my clothes. "That seemed really unnecessary," I grunt.

"Asaki!" Yusuke and Kuwabara come running toward me. "What happened?" my black-haired classmate asks.

"I tripped," I reply. Kurama sighs, and I shrug. "I'm fine. The building took the brunt of the fall."

"Uh-huh," Yusuke says. That's when I notice he's shaking.

"What about you?" I ask. "You look like you've just seen...a ghost." I shake my head. "Of course. Toguro must have leveled the garage. But, what did he want from you?"

"A friendly invitation," Yusuke replies, his voice shaking with fear and rage. "To something called the Dark Tournament. Participation isn't optional."

"Oh no," I gasp. "That thing is awful." Turning to look at Kurama, I say, "And that's what he was talking to you and Hiei about too?"

He nods. "It would seem we've garnered the wrong kind of attention."

"What happens if you don't fight?" I ask.

"He'll kill everyone we care about," Kuwabara grunts.

"So, you really don't have a choice." Frowning, I look down at the ground, thinking. "But that's only four people. You guys need a fifth participant."

"What about you, Asaki?" Kuwabara asks.

"There's no need to bring her into this," Kurama says. "Our lives are forfeit if we lose."

"You say that like mine wouldn't be," I reply. "Unless I don't count as someone you care about." Sighing, I tap my foot, thinking. "Toguro said to me 'too bad you can't join in on the fun'. He must have meant the Tournament, but why? Does he know something I don't?" That's when it hits me. "Crap. No way."

"What?" Yusuke asks.

"There's no way." I shudder, thinking back to my father's exact words. An event he needs my assistance with, huh? "I've got to go," I say. "Sorry, guys. I'll catch you later." I run off, continuing on my path to the library, angry and scared and worried all at once.

The Dark Tournament is no joke, with demons battling to the death for a wish granted by the disgustingly corrupt Tournament committee. My father always goes to make a profit by gambling and to watch "lesser demons" tear each other to shreds. I've only gone twice, and both times, I had to leave before it ended because it was so horrible to watch.

Too many pieces are falling into place, and I have this awful feeling that my father wants me to come along with him. He's crazy if he thinks I'm going to play nice daughter after everything that's happened. Little does he know, regardless of whether he wants me to come, I'll be there. If there's any way I can help the guys, I'll do it.

I must have been at the library for a few hours before someone sits across from me at the table where I've holed myself. Looking up from my reading, I'm not surprised to see Kurama.

"Hey," I say, closing my book. With all of my make-up work done at last, I'd been trying to get ahead yet again, although it seems pointless now if I'm going to be heading back to my father's in a week.

"You left in a hurry, back there. Yusuke and Kuwabara were worried," he says.

"I had to clear my head. Besides, I think they should worry a little more for themselves. They're going to be in way over their heads in this."

"I don't know that Hiei and I will fare much better," he replies.

"Don't say that." I grab the base of my braid, frustrated. "You can't say that. If you guys are going into this with that kind of attitude, how can you hope to prevail?"

He looks at me for a long moment, and I wonder what he's thinking. "I'm sorry, Asaki."

I shake my head. "Mm-mm. It's all right. I'll be rooting for you, and if there's any way I can help, just ask. Although, I won't be around for much longer."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"My father sent me a letter asking me to come back for a little while."

"And will you?"

I nod. "He's not giving me a choice in the matter. He's holding my future over my head like the monster he is." I take a deep breath, trying to steady my erratic heartbeat. So many different feelings are racing through me right now that it's hard to keep up.

"I see." That's all he says, and it makes me want to shake him. _Please, say something else? Help me out of this! I don't want to go back!_ It's silly of me, and I squash those thoughts. I'm not a child anymore, and I'm not the only one being blackmailed. Going home is nothing compared to what Kurama and the others are going to have to do soon.

I tug at the end of my braid, sighing. "It'll be okay. We're all going to make it through this."

He gives me a wry smile, nodding. "I'll take your word for it." Getting to his feet, he comes around to my side of the table, offering me his hand. "Would you like to get something to eat?"

"Sure," I say, taking his hand.

…

The next week passes by in a blur of school, training, and dinner with Kurama. I've already informed my teachers I'll be gone for a while, probably three months or so, using my father's health as an excuse like last time. The mountain of schoolwork I'll be taking with me to the mansion won't take that long to finish, but I don't know how I'll be able to focus on anything while I'm there.

When I'm not at school, I'm watching Hiei and Kurama try to whip Kuwabara into shape. I offered to help, but Kuwabara refuses to hit a girl, putting me on healing duty. I've seen most of Hiei's tricks before, so watching those fights is nothing new. It's the ones where Kurama faces off with Kuwabara that leave me breathless.

Ever since I've become friends with Shuichi/Kurama, I've wondered where the ruthlessness of Yoko Kurama has gone to. I see it here and now as he fights Kuwabara. It's this terrifying combination of beauty and mercilessness that prevents me from looking away. Kuwabara can barely keep up, and he's always seriously hurt afterward. I spend most of those afternoons healing him so that he's ready to keep going the next day.

Once training is over, Kurama invites me out to dinner. We've gone to a different place each night, and he pays each time, despite my protests. The food is always delicious, but I wonder if it isn't made better by the company. I don't remember ever having such uninhibited conversations with anyone before, and I feel completely at ease around him. I'd been worried my feelings for him would make me feel awkward, but there's nothing but warmth here. He makes me laugh, and whenever I can do the same for him, my heart practically glows from the joy.

After we eat, we usually go for a walk downtown, visiting bookshops and one time a crepe vendor that made the best crepes I've ever had. If not through town, we walk through the park, admiring all the flowers that are in full bloom here in the middle of summer. My favorite place, and probably his too, is this little garden called the Gallery of Roses.

It's a small, semi-circular walkway lined with rose bushes and vines that creep across the ground or over trellises that line the path. Kurama tells me all their names, and I commit them to memory, knowing I'll come back here again later to test myself. The first time we went there, he used his demon energy to revitalize a few wilting bushes, and I wondered how on earth so much compassion and kindness could exist within someone who was renowned for his cold and ruthless spirit.

At the end of each night, he walks me home and bids me goodnight. After the second time, I can barely sleep in anticipation of the next day when I hope it will happen again.

On the last night before I'm to leave for my father's, we go out for ramen at the Yukimuras' shop, but I'm distracted by my nerves, and I know Kurama can tell. He leaves me to my thoughts, and I find myself grateful just for his presence. I don't know how well I would have been able to handle today by myself.

After we go for a walk through the park and start heading home, I find myself glancing up at the stars.

"Looking for a lion?" he asks me.

"I've stopped relying on lions for courage," I tell him, looking into his sweet green eyes. My heart skips a beat as I struggle not to get lost in their depths.

"Where do you find it now?" he asks..

"Foxes." I give him a hesitant smile and am rewarded by his cheeks going slightly red. Taking a deep breath, I say, "I promise, regardless of what happens, I'll be there to watch you guys compete. But…promise me you'll finish alive." I hold out my pinky weakly, looking for some connection, some pathetic semblance of contact before I leave.

He links his pinky with mine, saying, "I promise," before maneuvering his hand so he's holding mine. "Good luck, Asaki. Come back to us, all right?"

"I will," I reply, smiling and fighting back tears. "Good luck to you as well."

He nods, his smile so gentle it steals my breath. "Close your eyes," he says, his voice low. I do as he instructs, and a few moments later, I feel his hand touch the side of my head as he weaves something into my hair. "All right."

I open my eyes, reaching up to find my fingers brushing against flower petals. Dammit, but he's smooth, the sly fox. "Thank you, Kurama. I'll see you soon." My voice breaks on the last word, and I turn and wave a hand over my shoulder, hoping he doesn't see my tears.

* * *

A/N: Well, that was awful. On so many levels. Asaki's past has come to light in a huge way, and I hope it's made a lot of things a bit more clear. She didn't blindly open her mail like a dummy this time either, so I'll call that growth! Her father's got something for her to do, so you know that's going to be bad news. The only good thing to come of this chapter is all the time she got to spend with Kurama. Thanks for reading, and a huge thank you to AmericanNidiot (brotp is my new favorite term) and YukinaBlueRose (I hope you liked the reveal for Asaki's not feeling pain) for the lovely reviews. You guys are awesome!


	17. Team Blackmail

Nothing ever changes in this stupid place. As I walk up the front steps of the mansion, flanked by a few servants who'd felt the need to escort me, I take a deep breath. If ever there was a time to be strong, now would be it. Pushing open the front doors, it's an irritant to find doormen on the other side instead of my father. I'd sent word ahead.

"The master is waiting for you in the courtyard," one of the doormen says as I huff out an angry breath.

"Thanks," I snap, stalking past the main staircase and out the glass double-doors into the courtyard. From here, I can almost see the gardens past all of the tiled ground, and my heart aches for the briefest of moments before I put up my usual wall, trying to sense out my father.

That's when I realize I'm not really alone. Two demons jump from the roof of the mansion toward me, but I dodge out of the way, backpedaling into another demon who grabs me around the middle, holding my arms down. I slam my head back into his face, and he cries out, loosening his grip so I can drop down and take his legs out from under him.

A fourth demon heads my way, a sword in his hand. I raise my own hand, holding it palm out toward the swordsman, melting the hilt of the blade to his flesh. He cries out, trying desperately to shake she weapon off to no avail. Before I can do anything more, a whistle pierces the air.

All of the demons freeze, standing at attention, the demon with the sword stuck to his hand wincing in pain. I turn my head, looking for the source of the whistle when I see my father approaching, his business face on. In his hand is a small silver whistle. Knowing him it's probably as close to pure silver as practical.

"Well met," he says, his voice as obnoxiously loud as ever. "Asaki, I'd like you to meet your team."

"For what?" I ask.

"The Dark Tournament."

I snort, shaking my head. "You're kidding, right?"

"You're already signed up as Team Anno. These demons will be under your leadership from now until the Tournament's end."

"Not happening," I snap. "And if this is the only reason you brought me here, I'm going home."

"If you want to continue living the way you are, you will lead these demons in the Tournament, do I make myself clear?" he growls.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Before I agree to anything, we need to talk in private."

He nods his head like he's already won, and I find myself wanting to melt the tiles we stand on. "Meet me in my office in an hour." With that, he turns and leaves.

Once he's gone, I make my way over to the demon who'd been wielding the sword. "Don't move or you'll lose your hand," I tell him, ignoring the sneer on his face as I hold a hand up, instantly turning the blade to ash and then, without touching his scaly flesh, I heal the burn most of the way before turning and heading to my room.

…

"What makes you think I'm going to do this? Why do you even want me to do this?" An hour has passed, and I'm standing in front of my father as he sits in his office chair, papers piled in front of him.

"You'll do it because if you refuse, you won't be continuing to go to school." He puts down the paper he'd been looking at before I came in, leaning forward over the desk at me. "I'm well aware you forged my signature and my seal in order to get into the school you are currently attending. All it will take is one phone call from me to whatever high school you might wish to go to, saying I did not sign off on papers for them to send you on your way."

I cross my arms, mad because he's right.

"As for why I want you, think of it as recompense for the stunt I heard you pulled with Tarukane." That I'm not expecting, but of course of one the Black Black Club members would have snitched. "I don't know what the hell you were thinking, but if you had died there, how do you think that would have made me look?"

Ah, of course. As per usual, it's all about him. "Negligent," I reply, and he grunts in agreement.

"What I'm telling you is that you will participate with that team I selected. I don't intend for you to win by any stretch of the imagination, and I hope you'll have the common sense to pull out before things get too rough." Again, not because he cares about me but because he'd look bad if he sponsored a team, made his daughter captain, and then watched as she got killed.

"The only other thing you'll need to do is put on a show."

"A show?" I frown.

"Those who watch the Dark Tournament want to be entertained. I don't care how you do it, but I expect you to be as entertaining as possible, even if that means making a fool of yourself. Do I make myself clear?"

"Seriously? You bring me here, threaten my education and my life by putting me in this damn thing, and expect me to, what, do a song and dance?"

"I don't care what you do," he repeats, his voice low. "Just put on a show."

A growl escapes me, and I point a finger at him. "Fine. I'll agree on one condition. I know you've a hand in how things are run there, so I know you'll be able to manage. There's a team entering the competition, the one personally invited by the Toguro brothers themselves."

"Team Urameshi," he says, and I nod.

"That's the one. I will not fight against them. If you want me to compete, then you'd better make it so that doesn't happen. I don't care if I have to fight Toguro's team in the first round, but I will not fight Urameshi. If my team does get put against them, I'll figure out a way to disqualify us all."

He gets to his feet, looking down on me, but I don't falter. After a moment, he says, "Even if I prevent you from going to school?"

"Even so," I say.

He keeps staring me down, and I know he's waiting for me to give in. When I don't, he sighs. "Fine. We have a deal."

…

Later that day, I go to find my "team", wanting to see if they really are as weak as their energy feels. As I approach, I overhear their conversation.

"-see why we have to listen to some half-breed bitch." That's the scaly one who had the sword.

"Hey, if you don't want the money, I'll keep your share," the one who'd grabbed me earlier says. He's a big brown demon with two horns protruding from his head.

"We can't participate if we don't have a full team, moron," a small blue demon snaps.

"Guys, relax," a mostly human-looking demon replies. He has a tail, but other than that he could pass for a normal person. "She's just a mutt. She'll probably die in the first round." The four laugh, and I decide that's my cue to take the stage.

"Yo, lard for brains," I call, walking over to them. They glare at me, all but the one with the tail who regards me with lazy disinterest. "Here's the deal. I want to be in this situation just as much as you do, so I'm giving you an option. I'll let all four of you come at me and once. If you can beat me in combat, I'll give up my leadership position and do whatever you want. However, if I win, you shut the hell up and do what I say."

"Don't insult us!" the scaly demon says. "One of us would be enough to take you down."

"Then four of you should crush me easily," I reply. "So?"

The demon with the tail steps toward me, smiling. "You're on." The other three take positions around me, and I smile.

"Let's go."

The four rush me at once, and I flare up, fire surrounding me. It catches two of them unaware, but the one with the tail and the one with horns both manage to jump back in time, avoiding serious burns. The horned demon charges at me, aiming a punch squarely at my face. I duck, sending an uppercut straight into his chin that sends him flying. When he lands, he's unconscious.

The two I burned are still writhing on the ground, leaving me alone with the demon with the tail. He smiles at me, charging up his demon energy. I put a hand on my hip, gesturing for him to come at me. "Whatever you want, babe," he says, racing toward me. I don't move this time, letting his fist connect with my face. There's a cracking sound, but it's not my face...it's his hand.

"Shit!" he shouts, leaping back.

"Feel free to try again," I say, completely unfazed as my healing fixes what would certainly have been a bruise later. The demon comes at me again, and I just stand there, taking his blows for a little while before I yawn, sending a flaming fist into his stomach. He lands on his backside, winded and burnt.

"I give!" he cries, putting up his hands as I step closer.

Looking at the four largely crippled demons, I sigh. That wasn't even a fight with all four of them. "Tell them I've won," I say.

"She won, guys. Damn, but she won." He laughs, wincing.

"Which means I get to tell you what to do and you all get to shut the hell up." I lean toward the demon with the tail. "Name."

"Eiki," he says as I heal the burn in his chest, not touching him. He looks at me with wide eyes, but I ignore him, moving on to the next guy. The scaly demon is Riki, the brown one is Hoki, and the one with horns is Aiki. Apparently, they're brothers of some sort. When they're all healed and back on their feet, I cross my arms, looking at them.

"Here's the deal. From now until the Tournament, you'll be training. Savvy?" They nod, and I notice there's a reluctant respect in their eyes. And all it took was a few punches to the face for me. It doesn't matter that no amount of training will ever put these guys on the same level as demons like Hiei and Kurama. We won't be in the Tournament for long. I wonder if these guys know the whole story. Probably not.

…

Three months pass by in a flash, and suddenly, I'm on Hanging Neck Island, the appropriately named venue for the Tournament. Father forced me to dress up and mingle among the humans in human form, so that's where I am when all of the focus of the hotel lobby zeroes in on five people.

My heart jumps into my throat as I catch a glimpse of red hair. My first instinct is to hide, but I swallow hard, forcing myself to watch as Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, who is carrying Yusuke for some reason, and a short, masked fifth fighter talk to one of the hotel staff and then follow him to their rooms.

"For some reason," a snooty-looking woman says, " I thought they'd be bigger."

"Size isn't everything," I mumble, brushing past them and after the boys. I wait at the elevator for a little bit, nervous for some reason. It's just the guys, just my friends...that I haven't seen in over a month. What if they don't like me anymore? What if they're mad at me for not being able to fight with them? What's going to happen when they find out I'm on another team?

I really hope my father complied with my wish to keep me from fighting them. I'm actually not sure how to get my whole team disqualified….

When the elevator reaches their floor, I step out and into two demons.

"Hey, look, it's a human!" one of them says. He's a young boy with his hat on backwards.

The other demon scowls. "As if Team Urameshi's room didn't smell foul enough." He's blonde, and has pointy ears.

I try my best to look demure and small as I scoot past them, heading for the room number I'd managed to get from one of the hotel staff. Money is one heck of a drug, I guess. Standing outside the room, I take a few slow, deep breaths.

"Okay, Asaki. It's just the guys." Hesitantly, I knock on the door.

I hear shuffling inside, and Kuwabara's muffled voice as he says, "No, it's just some girl." He pulls the door open. "Can I help you?"

I stare at him, dumbfounded. "Kuwabara. It's me."

He frowns. "You look familiar."

"Asaki?" I see Kurama getting to his feet from behind Kuwabara, and my heart skips a beat.

"Wait, for real?!" Kuwabara takes a step back, looking me over. "You look so fancy."

"Is that really all it takes for you to not recognize me?" I ask.

"Well, I'm not used to seeing you with brown hair either," he says. "Anyway, come on in." He steps back from the door and I come inside, suddenly really self-conscious as all eyes are on me.

"Slumming it with the humans, were you?" Hiei asks.

"Not by choice. It's part of my father's request for me. I feel like it's never going to end." I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Anyway, it's so good to see you guys." A smile spreads across my face despite how weird I feel being the center of attention.

"Same to you," Kurama says. "I'm glad you were able to come."

"I promised," I reply. Looking over to Yusuke, I frown. "How long has he been sleeping?"

"Since earlier this evening. He's very tired from his training with his master."

I nod, looking over at the fighter I don't recognize who is wearing a mask. "I'm glad you guys found a fifth," I say.

"Not that we know anything about him," Kuwabara grunts. "Even Yusuke has no idea, and he brought the guy with him."

"Oh. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, I guess," I say, bowing. The masked fighter nods his head before going back to drinking his coffee.

"How was your father's?" Kuwabara asks.

"Terrible, as usual. However, since I was on my best behavior, he didn't lock me up." I shrug. "Small blessings." Taking a slow breath, I feel this pressure building in my chest. "A-anyway, I should go. Good luck, guys! I'll be cheering for you tomorrow!"

"Oh, uh, sure. Good night, Asaki," Kuwabara says, surprised.

With a weak wave, I close the door behind me and make it halfway down the hall before tears form in my eyes. I lean against a wall, a sob escaping me regardless of how hard I fight it. I'm not even sure why I'm crying. Relief? A little. Fear? So much fear. I'm worried I may burst from the feelings inside me.

Footsteps approach, and I open my eyes to see Kurama coming toward me, concern on his face. I try to stop the tears, but they only come harder as he reaches me. After a few moments, he takes my hand, and I let him lead me to the elevator. He hits the roof button, and we stand in silence, nothing but the sound of my sniffling interrupting to fill the emptiness.

The roof button takes us out onto a large platform overlooking the surrounding forest. In the distance, I can see the arena for the upcoming battles. I walk over to the railing, gripping it tightly with both hands. Kurama comes to stand beside me, still not saying anything.

When I find my voice again, I mumble, "It's really really good to see you guys again. I was so afraid something would happen and I wouldn't be able to…." Swallowing, I continue. "But now that I have, I'm worried about the Tournament. I couldn't bear it if something happened to any of you." I fight back a fresh wave of tears, staring at my hands. The knuckles are white with as hard as I'm holding on.

"I can't say that your fears are unfounded," he says at last, and I look over at his own hands that are resting lightly on the rail. "However, we will fight our hardest to protect the people we care about. I hope you'll still cheer us on, even if you're afraid."

I chuckle weakly. "Of course. Might be all I can manage, but I'll be right there for you guys."

"Then, I think we'll be all right." He slides his hand over mine, gently pulling my fingers, one by one, from the railing until both of my hands are trapped in his. I stare up at him, eyes wide. "You should get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a long day for us all."

I nod, stepping back from him for a moment. Staring into his green eyes was a mistake. I throw my arms around him, a sob ripping itself from my chest. The embrace only lasts for a second before I release him, turning and running from the rooftop, taking the stairs to the floor where my own private room awaits.

When I get there, I sink onto the bed, pulling my knees to my chest. What the hell did I just do? Again?

* * *

A/N: I told my friends about Eiki, Aiki, Riki, and Hoki, thinking those were generic enough names (no offense to anyone who thought otherwise) and they told me they loved them. So, what do I know? Asaki seems like the kind of girl who's let her father strongarm her into a lot of things in the past. Hopefully, she'll get enough of a footing on her own to prevent that in the future. Here's hoping. I like using her to get a view of things that the boys wouldn't have in their adventures. I'm sorry if that sounds boring to anyone else!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to AmericanNidiot, YukinaBlueRose, Layla347, and WithLoveSammiV for the reviews! I love reading them. It's been a rough week for me, so I really appreciate the love and good feelings! Thanks again!


	18. Round 1: Sliced

I'm so late. I slept in, got lost on my way to the arena, and got into a fight with a guard on my way, but at last I'm here. Looking at the scoreboard, I frown. Kuwabara apparently lost his first match against the kid I saw last night. Rough start.

Next up is Kurama against some demon named Roto. I make my way down through the stands in demon form, hoping no one will pay attention to one lone girl coming to stand just outside the actual fighting ground. From this distance, I can see them clearly, but I can't hear what they're saying.

Roto attacks Kurama, but he neatly dodges every attack. When he finally goes on the offensive, he leaps toward the other demon but freezes before dealing the killing blow. That second is all it takes for Roto to scratch the red-haired demon's face. Kurama leaps back, and Roto says a few things to him before landing a series of punches Kurama could have easily dodged.

After a couple solid hits, Kurama flicks a pebble at Roto who glowers and says something I can't catch. It's only then that I notice he has a trigger in his hand. What could that be to? I don't have much time to ponder it as Kurama folds his arms behind his back. Roto hits him over and over, and I have to fight the urge to cry out. What is going on?

"It's brutal, it's violent, it's wonderful!" the announcer fox-girl, Koto, cries. "Roto is punching him and there's no sign of retaliation!" This is the first round I watch, and already, I can't take much more.

Roto forms a blade out of the top of one fist, saying something to Kurama before he roughly slashes his face. I squeak, a hand flying to my mouth. Focusing hard, I try to listen to what that awful demon is saying. What could he have over Kurama to make him not even try to fight?"

What I catch is, "Lick the scum off my boot. And, after you've wiped the whole thing clean, I'll decapitate you and spare your nasty mother's life. And since you care about her, Shuichi, it's your only choice." His mother. Somehow, this demon knows about Shiori and is threatening her. If Kurama doesn't kill the bastard, I'll burn Roto alive.

"I will not," Kurama says, his defiant voice giving me chills. He brushes himself off, but I lose the conversation as he speaks softer. The last thing I catch is him snapping, "Push it!"

"I will!" Roto shouts, but as he goes to do so, his body freezes. Kurama knocks the trigger out of the other demon's hand.

"It's hard to tell what's happening now, but it's clear Kurama has control!" the announcer cries. And thank goodness he does. Relief pools in me, and I find myself smiling.

Kurama says something to Roto, and I feel the air shift as the lesser demon begs for his life. "Come on. You believe in mercy, don't you?"

The fox demon looks back at Roto, a derisive look in his eyes as he says, "No." At his word, a bunch of buds sprout all over Roto's body. He falls to the ground and flowers bloom from his corpse. It's simultaneously the most beautiful and terrifying thing I've ever seen.

"Well, that one's definitely over! The score is tied at one to one!" the announcer says.

Kurama walks over, saying something to Hiei. They exchange a smile, and after a few words from Botan and Kuwabara, Kurama notices me staring at him. I wave him toward me, vaulting over the wall separating the fighting area from the crowd.

"Good morning, Asaki," Kurama says as he approaches.

"Turn around," I tell him, about to do something very stupid. Frowning, he does as I ask, and I growl low near his ear, "Do not move." After a moment, I brush his hair off his neck and, on tiptoe, I place a kiss at the nape. He stiffens, but he stays still as I push as much healing energy as I can through him. I pull away, letting his soft hair fall back into place.

"Now, send Kuwabara over so I can heal him too," I mumble, praying he doesn't face me. If he does, I might have to melt into the floor or something. He nods, walking slowly away, heading toward my orange-haired classmate.

I know Kurama remembers what I said about how the more nerves are touching the easier it is to heal. The most nerves on the human body are on the lips…. It's as good an excuse as any, and it hides all of my true intentions: the need to touch him and the need to assuage the fear he'd instilled in me from that stupid fight.

If all of these matches are like that, this is only going to keep getting worse for everyone involved. I swallow hard, feeling incredibly stupid as Kuwabara comes over.

"Hey, Asaki. What's up?"

"Give me your hand," I tell him. "Let me heal you."

He frowns. "That doesn't seem fair. You're not on our team, and you're not our coach like Botan."

Since when is Botan a coach? "I hope you don't expect your opponents to play fair," I tell him. "Because if so, you're in for one hell of a wake-up call."

"Whatever," he grunts. "I have a little bit of honor, and I won't let you heal me."

I sigh, frustrated. "I don't get how letting a friend help you out is cheating."

"It just feels dirty to me."

"Fine. Go away." He shrugs, walking over to where everyone else is standing. I lean against the wall, trying to blend in with the scenery. Not much to hide behind, and I start to wonder if this was a good idea after all. That's when I remember my father's words. Maybe this is the best way to put on a show. At least, it's a start.

I only half watch the next fight, my mind still reeling from kissing Kurama's neck. He has his back to me from here, but he looks relaxed like nothing important just happened. I wish I had an ounce of his composure. I wish I hadn't freaked out over such a small fight. I wish Hiei would chill out.

Instead, the little demon lets his ego overwhelm him and unleashes one hell of an attack on the other demon from last night with the blonde hair and pointy ears. The Dragon of the Darkness Flame that Hiei summons is a monstrous creature that consumes the user if it isn't controlled properly. I don't know how long he's been holding onto this trick, but he unleashes it now, making the whole stadium erupt in black flames.

When it's over, there's nothing left of his opponent but a scorch mark on the wall. Hiei walks out of the ring, and I shudder at his right arm. It's blackened and looks like it's causing him a lot of pain. How much control did he really have right then?

Walking over to him, I poke him in the back. "What do you want?" he growls at me. "If you're not fighting with us, you should just leave. You're a waste of space."

"And you're an ass," I reply, grabbing his injured arm. He grunts, pulling his sword on me with his other hand. "Do it," I snap, sending what energy I can into his arm. I can already tell it won't make much of a difference, but it'll at least assuage some of the pain.

"I should cut your head off," he grunts.

"Struggle anymore, and I'll have to kiss you," I growl, which shuts him up quickly. Hiei knows how my healing powers work better than anyone else in this arena, but that doesn't mean he wants me to touch him anymore than I want to do the same. I let him go, taking a step back and sighing. "You guys are so irritating."

"No one asked you to be here," Hiei snaps.

"I did, actually," Kurama says. "More or less."

"Then why don't you babysit her?"

"Troll," I grunt.

"You guys fight like an old married couple," Kuwabara says.

"Gross, no," I say.

"I would die first," Hiei adds.

"Aw, aren't they so cute," Botan chimes in.

"Botan, I'm not above kicking your butt out of this stadium," I tell her, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry," she replies, grinning sheepishly. "I almost forgot, he's not the one you l-"

"Botan!" I shout, putting my hands over her mouth.

"Oops!" I remove my hands, and she says, "Just ignore me, boys." Sighing, I run a hand over my face before turning back to the arena where the other two members of the opposing team now lay, dead.

"What…?"

A drunken man with a purple mohawk stumbles up to the ring, dropping his bottle of alcohol to the ground. "Would someone explain to them not to run away?" he slurs. "Not my fault I killed them." I stare, dumbfounded. Is this the next fighter?

"Asaki." At the sound of my name, I turn to find Eiki standing at the entrance to the ring, arms crossed. "Your father wants you."

"Of course, he does," I grumble. "I'll catch you guys later," I say to my friends. "Good luck." With that, I follow Eiki out of the stadium.

"I don't think hanging out with another team is a good idea," he says to me once we're alone.

I shrug. "What's the worst that could happen? Disqualification?"

"Yes," he replies. "We spent all that time training, and you don't even care if you don't get to fight?"

"Don't get all noble on me, Eiki," I say. "You and your brothers are just in it for the money."

He sighs, rolling his shoulders. "I guess that's fair. Anyway." We stand outside my father's private box high above the general riff raff. One of the men standing guard nods at me, opening the door so I can enter, leaving Eiki behind.

Inside, my father is talking to Sakyo, the human wearing a wry smile. When they see me, Sakyo gives me a small bow.

"Good to see you again, Miss Asaki."

"Likewise," I lie, playing my part. This man gives me chills, and I wish I could just fire up right here. Maybe that would get rid of the awful feeling he sends through me.

"Think about it, Taro," Sakyo says, waving as he leaves us alone.

My father sighs, turning to look out at the ongoing match. Yusuke is awake, and he's started to fight the drunken man who'd stumbled into the ring. They exchange blows for a little bit before Father speaks.

"So, that's Team Urameshi." I nod, and he sighs. "I don't know that I would have accepted your terms three months ago had I known who was on that team." Folding his hands in front of him, he says, "Especially that red-haired one. I would pay good money to watch him get beaten."

I clench my hands into fists. "If that's all you called me up here for, I'm leaving."

"You're going to get yourself in trouble if you keep spending time with those low-class creatures," he says.

"Too late," I tell him.

He snorts derisively. "It's never too late to kill your friends."

"You're a terrible person," I say.

"Be that as it may, if you interfere in any fights, you will be disqualified."

"I know that." I put my hand on my hip, saying, "Look, you wanted me to put on a show, right? So, wouldn't being caught trying to help them work as part of the act?" He doesn't say anything, and I look down at where Yusuke and the other fighter now appear to be laughing. Nothing puts that kid in a good mood like an excellent brawl, I guess.

"Let me do my job," I say, watching the fighters as they set what look like knives in the ground, bracing themselves against them. "I promise you won't be disappointed in that, at least."

"I hope not."

Sighing, I move to the door, about to leave the box. Before I do, I say, "If they lose, not just their lives are forfeit…. The lives of their friends are also lost. Keep that in mind."

Closing the door behind me, I sigh. I wonder if that even meant anything to him. Shaking my head, I smack my cheeks once. "Okay," I whisper. "It's going to be okay." The announcer calls for Team Urameshi's victory, and I smile, looking down at the ring as Kuwabara helps Yusuke to his feet.

"Next fight is Team Anno versus Team Otoshi! Hold onto your seats, guys. You won't want to miss this."

Even from this height, I can see my friends exchange glances. Maybe I should have told them that I'd be competing. Not that it matters anymore. Sighing, I make my way down to the field only to be stopped by one of my father's servants who holds out a purple _gi_ for me to change into. Great. Now I can look silly to add to the performance I have planned.

After I change, I meet my team in the ring in human form. They eye me, confused, but I merely shrug as we step up to the other team.

"All right, combatants!" Koto cries. "Team captains, decide the terms."

I stand at the front of my demons, staring down those on the other side. Their leader is a small, unassuming demon with a nasty expression on his face. He spits at me, and I smile. "Don't look at me like that, filthy mutt!" he shouts.

"One-on-one fights are fine with me," I say. "As long as I get to kick your ass in the end."

"Presumptuous half-breed!" he snarls.

"Keep them coming," I tell him. "I'll have them engraved on your tombstone." I grin before making my way out of the ring to await my turn.

Eiki and Riki win their fights, but Hoki and Aiki lose theirs, leaving me to fight the leader of the other team. As I step up to fight, I hear the crowd jeering loudly. The slurs don't fall on deaf ears, but if anything, I think they add to the effect I'm going for. Measly-looking human defeats a demon without even trying. Game on.

"Fight!"

I just stand there as the demon attacks me, hacking and slashing with his claws. Blood spurts, flowing from my arms, but I keep healing as fast and as strong as I can.

"What is going on?" Koto cries. "Anno isn't even fighting back! Has she realized just how outmatched she is?"

I smile. They don't really choose the announcers for their sense of tactic or their brains. Koto's been doing this gig for ages, and it's only because she's cute and loves blood and guts.

"Stupid human scum!" my opponent shouts, slashing across my face. I stagger back, still smiling as he steps away, panting. It's only been a minute or two, and he's already worn himself out. I sidestep his next attack, full-out grinning now.

"I'm going to tear that look off your face!" he shouts, jabbing at me time and again. I wonder how much this would hurt if I could feel it. As it is, I can feel my ripping flesh, but that's all.

The crowd is screaming for him to hurry up and finish me, and I know by now the pathetic demon can't figure out why I'm not dead yet. He's staggering on his feet from the amount of energy he's exerted. It's almost time to end this farce. I think I've done a good job of playing around so far.

My opponent is barely on his feet, he's so tired. "Why won't you die?" he shrieks, gasping for breath.

"That's a really good question," I say, walking toward him. He takes a step back, fear on his face, but he's at the edge of the ring. There's nowhere for him to go.

Stopping right in front of him, I have every intention of sending him flying with a good punch. Instead, I sneeze, hard. He spooks, falling back and smacking his head on the ground as he lands. I stand there, staring wide-eyed at the now-unconscious demon, shocked. That was not part of the plan.

"Winner of this fight is Asaki Anno! The match goes to Team Anno!" Koto cries.

I snort, laughing as the crowd jeers in disgust. "That went even better than planned," I say, hopping down from the ring and over to my team who are staring at me with wide eyes.

"Asaki…." Eiki looks me over, looking confused. "What the hell were you doing?"

"Fighting," I reply, making my way out of the arena without looking back. My team follows me, Eiki still trying to get me to stop and talk.

"Asaki, you're bleeding all over!" he snaps. "Would you just stop?" He grabs my arm, and my human body almost groans from the strain. I turn demon as my knees give out, taking a few slow, deep breaths.

"I'm fine, Eiki. I'm sorry if I worried you, but I'm okay." Looking down at my hands, I sigh. What will I do if it isn't enough? Is watching a half-breed get chopped to pieces and then beating her opponent without touching him entertaining?

"Asaki!" I look up to find Yusuke, Kurama, and Botan coming toward me. "You didn't tell us you were competing!" Yusuke shouts, frowning.

"To be fair," I reply, "you've been sleeping all this time."

"That doesn't explain why you didn't tell us," Botan whines. "And what kind of match was that just now? You didn't even fight him!"

"Leave her alone," Eiki growls, Aiki, Riki, and Hoki standing at my sides, defensive. I guess we're ignoring the fact that he was just treating me the same way.

Kurama steps forward, offering me his hand. I take it, and he helps me to my feet, deftly maneuvering himself to stand slightly between me and my teammates. "We can take care of her from here," he says, and something in his voice chills the air.

Eiki is glaring daggers at the fox-demon, but Kurama's expression remains perfectly calm. The others on my team are giving off energy, and I'm worried if I don't do something, a fight might break out.

"It's fine, guys," I say, stepping toward them. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Eiki looks at me, his expression falling. "Whatever," he grunts, shoving past us, the others following. I sigh as they go, wondering what's gotten into them.

"Well, hey now, Kurama. That was a little scary," Yusuke says.

"I have no patience for unnecessary chivalry," Kurama replies, still looking unnervingly calm despite his cold voice.

"It's not like they knew it was unnecessary," I tell him. "If you guys really were looking to pick a fight with me, I'm too tired to defend myself." Looking back at the blood I've left in the hallway, I sigh.

"We should go," Botan says. "We can go meet up with the others and Asaki can tell us what she's doing here."

"Sounds good to me." Yusuke and Botan turn to leave, and I shuffle after them, keenly aware of the person following me.

* * *

A/N: That was a doozy! Asaki's not a very reliable character as far as watching the fights, and while she cares about all of the guys, her focus is definitely on fox-boy. It doesn't help that he always gets hurt the most, so she's got the most to worry about in that department. These DT chapters are going to be heavy in anime dialogue, so bear with me. The tension between Eiki and Kurama makes me laugh because it makes me think of a small dog fighting a much larger dog. Sparks flying and such. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to AmericanNidiot, WithLoveSammiV, and YukinaBlueRose for the reviews. You guys rock!

YYH is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi (woot woot).


	19. Sizing Up

We meet up with Kuwabara, Hiei, and the masked fighter, and I tell them my story. When I've finished, Yusuke laughs.

"Seriously? You joined this death circus because you want to go to school?" he asks.

"It's not like I expect you to get it," I say.

"And you purposely asked them to put you in a different bracket from the boys," Botan says. "What if you end up fighting Toguro?"

"Not going to happen," I reply. "My father told me we've got to drop out before then."

Kuwabara grunts, shaking his head. "This whole thing is pretty messed up. He's okay with watching you get hurt as long as it's entertaining?"

"Why is that so surprising?" I ask. "This is a man who tortured me for days on end and somehow didn't notice me getting shredded by my own fiancé for hundreds of years." Sighing, I cross my arms. "He's not exactly Father of the Year material."

"It doesn't matter," Hiei grumbles. "Even if you had fought us, we would have beaten you."

"Hiei!" Botan gasps.

"You're probably right," I reply, "but it's too bad we'll never know because, unlike you, I don't like hurting my friends." Sticking my tongue out at him earns me a grunt in return as Hiei turns away, grabbing his injured arm. I wish there were more I could do for him about that, but it's not entirely a physical hurt, and I can't heal spirit or demon energy.

"She's got you there, Hiei," Yusuke laughs. "Anyway, I'm going to head back to the hotel. I could seriously use a nap."

"Me too," Kuwabara says.

"Too bad," Yusuke replies. "Winners only."

"Shut up, Urameshi!" he shouts, and they run off, Yusuke keeping a step ahead of his friend to keep from getting hit.

"Tch." Hiei walks away without a word, and I wonder what he's thinking, his right arm still held by his left.

"Oh, I should go check on Keiko and Shizuru!" Botan says.

"Keiko and Shizuru?" I frown. "They're here?"

"Yes, well, they forced the Tournament out of me, and made me bring them here."

"Botan, that's probably the most irresponsible thing I've ever heard."

"Yes, I know!" she whines. "But, don't worry! I'll be looking after them. They'll be safe with me!" She waves as she heads back to the hotel as well, leaving me with Kurama.

We stand there in silence for a moment before he turns to face me. "I'm going to watch the next round. You're welcome to join me if you'd like."

I grimace. "I hate this thing. Watching the fights isn't really something I'm keen on."

He shrugs. "Then you should probably head back to the hotel as well."

I grab his shirt sleeve as he starts to walk away, words tumbling out of my mouth like water. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

He doesn't say anything at first, and I let his shirt go, my heart beating fast. If he doesn't tell me what's wrong, I'm going to be worrying about it all day. My mind is already in overdrive about all the things I could have possibly done to upset him in the hour or so.

"I'm not...mad. Just, worried." He sighs, running a hand over his face. "I understand your reasons for being here, but this is dangerous."

"I know that!" I tug on the end of my braid, saying, "I'm well-aware of everything that's at stake. What difference does my competing make? Whether I fight or not, you guys still are. It's all in your hands, and I think if I just had to sit and watch, I'd go mad with worry." I fiddle with my hair so much that my hair tie falls out. I sigh, staring at it on the ground.

After a moment, Kurama picks it up, passing it back to me. "I'm sorry that we've gotten you caught up in our mess," he says.

"It's no fault of yours," I tell him, fixing my hair. "Besides, you guys will win, so what's there to be worried about?" I give him the fakest grin in the world, and he laughs. Thank goodness.

"Asaki, I need you to promise me something."

"Hm?"

"The next time you go into that ring, fight back." His green eyes pierce right into me as he says this, and my heart flips in my chest. "I don't like watching you get hurt like that."

"You don't really have room to talk," I say, punching his shoulder lightly. "I'll promise if you do."

He smiles. "That's fair enough." I stare in surprise as he holds out his pinky to me. Such a simple gesture, and one that held the promise we made just three months ago. Linking my pinky with his, this feels like more than just a touch. Where our skin meets, I feel a warmth radiating through me that makes me hold my breath until our fingers part.

"If that invitation stands," I say, feeling a little dizzy, "I'll join you."

He holds his hand out to me, and I take it without hesitation, my whole body growing warm at his touch as we walk back into the stadium. When we get to a good spot to watch, I slide my fingers from his, feeling self-conscious. I think my father would kill me if he saw me hand-in-hand with Kurama.

From up here, we watch as Team Ichigaki begins their fight. Frowning, I lean against the rail, feeling a little tired. As much healing as I've done today, I think it's a wonder I'm still on my feet. After the first match ends with a decapitation, I sigh. Good stuff, these Dark Tournament fights.

"Asaki," a voice says, and I look up to find Eiki coming toward us, hands in the pockets of his pants.

"Hey," I say, standing up straight.

"You should be resting somewhere." He looks past me at Kurama, glaring. "That's where I would have taken you."

"I'm fine," I tell him. "I'll get plenty of rest tonight when I go to sleep. There's no harm in watching the competition."

"It's not like we'll get to fight them," he says, turning to see the next two step into the ring.

"How are your brothers?" I ask.

"They're fine. Hoki and Aiki are pretty mad, so I sent them to go cool their heads. Resting is what you're supposed to do after battles like that," he jabs, glancing over at Kurama.

"Asaki chose to come here to watch," Kurama replies. "If she needed to rest, she would have gone back to the hotel."

"You should have just taken her back anyway."

"Hey!" I shout. "I am perfectly capable of making my own choices. I'll fight you again if you need proof that I'm fine. If not, then shut up and quit trying to piss Kurama off. I'm not going to stop him if he decides he wants to eat you."

"Eat him?" Kurama asks.

"I would if I were you," I say. "He's cheeky and kind of scrawny, but maybe he tastes good." Eiki looks at me like I've grown an extra head. "Look, can't we just get along?"

"No," he says, turning and walking away.

"What is up with him?" I growl. "He's not usually like this." Koto's voice reaches us, as she calls that Team Ichigaki has won. "Crap! Sorry, Kurama. Eiki totally distracted me, and I missed the match."

He shrugs. "It went the same as the first." Looking down at me, he says, "Asaki, how do you feel about your teammates?"

"My teammates?" I frown. "They're kind of like a bunch of little brothers who worry way too much."

He nods. "I don't think they feel that way."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you if it comes up again," he replies.

"You're a jerk," I mumble, and he laughs gently.

The crowd starts going crazy, and our attention is drawn to the ring once again as the big Toguro brother makes his way out onto the field. Kurama stiffens at my side, and I shiver, gripping the railing.

Koto announces the other Team as the Spirit Warriors, five massive fighters that make Toguro look small. Size isn't everything. Toguro fights them by himself, powering up so that, even from this distance, I can feel wave after wave of his energy assaulting my senses. He beats their entire team in a matter of seconds, and I swallow hard, my worry suddenly back in full swing.

"Asaki." Kurama's voice makes me jump, and I realize I've melted the railing I was holding on to.

"S-sorry," I mumble, looking up at him. However, his eyes aren't focused on me. They're somewhere far away, and he looks...frightened? Without thinking, my hands take one of his, and I rest my forehead against his shoulder, looking for and hoping to give comfort.

After a minute or so, he takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand gently before extricating his from my grasp. "Come on," he says. "Let's go to the hotel."

I nod, following after him, not really in the mood for much of anything after that awful display of power.

…

"What kind of crap is this?!" Kuwabara cries. Sitting in the boys' room, we look down at the Tournament brackets for the next round to find Toguro's team only has to fight once more before the finals where Team Urameshi has to fight three times.

Koenma himself has come to watch the fights, and he sits in a chair at the head of a small table, frowning down at the matchups. "They could have at least made it less obvious."

"I can't imagine being unfair and mean, like stealing someone's food for example," the ogre at his side says.

"I'm not mean!" Koenma shouts, hitting his assistant over the head.

"If they ever did this tournament fairly, I think all of the spectators would die of shock," I say.

"Well put, Asaki," Koenma says. "It's really a pity you couldn't fight for our team."

"I don't think I would have been much help," I reply. "I think I'm better suited to the sidelines."

"While I disagree," the toddler says, "it's not something we can change now. We just have to hope for the best."

"No sweat," Yusuke deadpans. "We'll kick all of their asses."

…

The next morning finds me standing in the forest, facing down my teammates. "Care to explain to me why you won't let me through?" I ask, irritated. I overslept again, and Team Urameshi's match is sure to have started.

"We don't like the way you're hanging out with that team of filthy humans," Aiki says.

"In case you forgot, I'm half filthy human," I growl, crossing my arms.

"It's not the same," Riki cries. "You're our team captain! You should be with us!"

"Trust me," I snap, "you don't want to spend more time with me than you have to. What will you do when the other demons call you traitors for hanging out with a mutt?"

"We'll kick their asses," Hoki grunts.

I shake my head. "Spare yourselves the trouble. You guys are in this for the money, and I'm in it to look after Team Urameshi, okay?" They all grit their teeth at that, and I ball my hands into fists. "They're my friends, and I'm going to support them until the end."

"What about us?" Eiki asks.

"I'm praying we don't make it that far," I reply. "You all could train for a thousand years and be no match for Team Toguro."

"Don't insult us!" Aiki shouts.

"If you can't beat me, and I can't beat Toguro, what makes you think you stand a chance?" I snarl, fire blooming in my fists that makes them take a step back. "I need to go." I move forward, and my team moves out of my way except for Eiki who blocks my path.

"Asaki," he says, crossing his arms.

"I have a promise to keep," I tell him. "And I won't let anyone stand in my way." I stare him down, and he sighs, stepping aside. Without a word, I brush past, finally heading to the stadium.

When I get there, the fight is well under way, but I'm surprised to find it's a three-on-three match. Ichigaki's team captain stands off to one side as do Kurama and Hiei, with Botan at their side. In the ring are Yusuke, Kuwabara, and the masked fighter.

Making my way to a seat, I spot Keiko and Shizuru. They'll be able to tell me what's going on. I slide into the empty spot beside them. "Hey, guys."

"Asaki!" Keiko says.

"Hi, kid," Shizuru adds. "What took you so long?"

"Had a run-in with some annoying demons," I grumble, crossing my arms. "Anyway, what all have I missed?" I'd spent last night in the room Keiko, Shizuru, and Botan were sharing, spilling my guts about my half-demon, half-human nature to the surprised humans who, all things considered, took it pretty well. It was definitely relieving to have that out in the open. Secrets don't make friends.

"A lot," Shizuru says. "Looks like Doctor Ichigaki's brainwashed those humans into fighting for him. On top of that, he sent a giant robot to attack Hiei and Kurama before the fight started, so they couldn't participate."

"Wow," I say. "That sounds like a bad sci-fi movie plot."

"Agreed," she replies. "Also, the masked fighter is a young woman."

"Huh. Neat." Sighing, I look down at the arena where the fight has stopped, at least for Team Urameshi. All they can do is dodge the other team's attacks, and I can understand why.

Those are just humans down there who got in way over their heads. How could anyone fight those innocent people to the death?

From this high, we have a perfect view as Kuwabara stands directly in the way of an attack, not moving, and gets sent flying out of the ring, landing hard on the grass.

"Please, no!" Shizuru cries, getting to her feet. Botan rushes over to Kuwabara's side as I take Shizuru's hand.

"He's okay," I tell her, managing to pull her back into her seat. "He'll be all right."

She nods, wiping tears from her eyes. "I know. He's too stupid to die here." Her voice sounds weak, but if she's able to still talk like that, it's a good sign.

"I wish he'd let me heal him," I whisper, feeling pretty stupid myself.

"It's his honor code," Shizuru says. "And no one can make him break it."

I smile. "Which is a good thing, in its own way." Sighing, I get to my feet. "I think I'll head down there. I feel useless just watching."

"You're telling me," she says. "Be careful."

I make my way out of my seat and down an aisle when a voice says, "I'm supposed to tell you that if you go to them now, you'll be disqualified."

It's Sakyo, sitting in one of the cheap seats. "Did they kick you out of your box?" I ask him, not really caring.

"I like it better down here. Fewer annoyances."

"If you say so."

"I don't suppose my warning will stop you."

"Not really," I say. "I didn't want to be in this stupid Tournament anyway. Besides, you know as well as I do that not helping them isn't an option. My life rides on this too."

"Do what you want. I can't really stop you. Just thought I'd give you fair warning."

"You shouldn't use that word," I tell him. "Fair isn't really a good look for a high-roller, is it?"

He laughs. "Go to your friends. I think they'll be needing you soon."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

* * *

A/N:We've got some more progression here, a little more plot going on, something I can appreciate. As nice as the downtime is, as far as the DT i concerned, I'd just as soon have it over with. Expect a lot of explosions in the near future (some literal, some not so much). Asaki is very very dense, not by any real fault of hers. She doesn't exactly have a lot of experience with any positive emotions. Fear, however, is one she seems to do really well. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose, AmericanNidiot, and WithLoveSammiV. You guys are fantastic, and I love your guesses about what will come next! It makes me happy to know you're invested enough to do so ^_^

Also, if anybody's interested, I wrote a fic for a contest a friend of mine was hosting called "Rumors". It's a one-shot AU from Kurama's point-of-view with Asaki making an appearance or two! Thanks again!


	20. Section 13

The battle is over by the time I make it onto the field. The masked fighter emitted a ridiculous amount of energy that nearly bowled me over, and the three combatants on Dr. Ichigaki's team were left lying motionless on the ground.

Yusuke berates the masked fighter as Koto does her ten count, giving Team Urameshi another victory. "You told me to leave it to you, and you went and killed them?" he shouts.

"I did what I had to," she replies.

Yusuke growls, making his way over to the Doctor. "Hey, asshole, you know you're not walking away from this, don't you?"

The Doctor takes a step back, but Hiei and Kurama have positioned themselves behind him.

"Don't embarrass yourself," Hiei growls.

"Acknowledge your cruelty and your punishment will be swift," Kurama adds. Sighing, I make my way into the ring, hoping they end the Doctor quickly. I have a bad feeling something really stupid is about to happen.

I kneel down beside the Doctor's team, resting a hand on one of their foreheads. I gasp, surprised, and look up at the masked fighter. "They're not dead," I whisper. She nods, and I send out a wave of healing energy so that it hits the three of them.

Suddenly, I feel the Doctor's power grow stronger, and I look up in time to watch him change into a giant, ugly green monster. He laughs, looking down on the guys. "Did you mindless, puny creatures actually think you could stop the progress of science? Let me show you my modifications!"

The Doctor's arms have become extendable, and he launches an attack that Yusuke just manages to dodge. He jumps up onto the ring again, and I get to my feet, prepared to defend the unconscious humans if I have to. Yusuke gets clipped by another hit, sending him flying, but I manage to catch him before he gets too hurt.

"Thanks, Asaki," he grunts, getting to his feet and squaring off against the Doctor. When Hiei tries to take the fight, Yusuke says, "Hiei, wait. I've got dibs on this jerk."

"Yusuke's back up!" Koto cries. "Despite the delicious outpouring of blood from his arm! And what's more, he's asking Hiei to withdraw! Does he really want to take this beast on by himself?"

"Just don't get killed," Hiei says, stepping back.

Ichigaki laughs. "Go ahead then. Defy all logic." He launches his fists at Yusuke, missing both times. The human grabs the Doctor's arms, his spirit energy suddenly sky-rocketing as he pulls the demon closer, leaping in and landing a series of blows that knock the Doctor back.

"That was for the three innocent lives you stole!" he shouts. "And this one's for screwing with their master!" He punches the Doctor squarely in the face, and I have to resist the urge to cheer. "And this is for my friend who felt sorry for them and got his ass kicked into the ground!" Another solid hit. "And the last one's for me, just for pissing me off!"

The final hit sends the Doctor's body flying out of the ring and crashing against part of the stadium, sending debris falling around him. Good riddance.

"Now you stay there and think about what you've done!" Yusuke shouts, and I laugh.

"I love him," I say, grinning.

"Tch." Hiei shakes his head. "You have horrible taste."

"Don't worry, Hiei," I reply. "I love you too."

I'm rewarded with his face going slightly red even as he says, "I will kill you."

As an unfamiliar voice reaches my ears, I look over to see Kurama helping an older man wearing a mustard-yellow _gi_. "It doesn't matter," the man says. "Taking Ichigaki's life away is never going to bring them back."

"Save your tears," the masked fighter rasps. "Your boys aren't dead." Judging by the way this man is dressed, he must be their master. I wonder what happened to him that he looks so rough and tired. Though, I imagine watching his students being mind-controlled and nearly dying contributed.

"Are you kidding?" Yusuke asks, turning to look at where the three men lay. They slowly open their eyes, getting to their feet. "Now this is stupid weird."

"Hey, fill me in!" Kuwabara shouts from the sidelines. "I can't see up there, you know?" I find myself smiling even as I make my way over to the fool. I'm not much for teary reunions, and maybe I can convince Kuwabara to drop his honor code for a second or two.

"Is he all right?" I say to Botan.

"I think so," she replies, even though her eyes are on what's going on behind us as the masked fighter explains why the young men are still alive.

"The attack I used is called the Spirit Wave," she says. "It is one of the five great attacks by trial and is powered by your own spirit energy. If your souls are corrupt, then the wickedness will take your life. But, if you are pure of heart, then that purity consumes you, destroying any outside impediments. It was your soul that freed you, not me. That proves you have nothing to hide."

The students and their master embrace and Kuwabara smiles. "They're all okay," he grunts. "I think letting them beat the snot out of me is the best thing I've ever done."

"Maybe you'll let me heal you now, so you can go talk to them," I say.

"No way, Asaki. This...doesn't change anything." He sounds like he's in so much pain.

"Hard-headed moron," I grumble.

"Asaki," Botan says, her voice disapproving as Kuwabara loses consciousness.

"So, how's he doing?" Yusuke asks, coming over to us.

"Not too great. It's nothing life-threatening, but he's clearly going to need time to recover," Botan tells him.

"Can't you heal him?" Yusuke asks me.

"He won't let me," I reply. "Apparently, he thinks it's cheating and it goes against his code. I keep trying to tell him-"

"Yusuke!" One of the students runs over to us, saying, "Maybe I can be of help. I'd like to repay you if it's possible. We're the ones who hurt Kuwabara. Let me join in his place! I'll fight as your substitute."

"Thanks for the offer, but this doofus would have a fit if I gave his spot away. You understand." Yusuke smiles. "Plus, we're only allowed one substitute, and only if one of us is dead."

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara grunts, barely conscious. "I'm not dead yet."

"Stupid," I mumble, shaking my head.

"Well, folks, it's official," Botan says, smiling. "Come on. Let's get Lazarus off the grass." Kurama comes up beside us, and he and Botan move Kuwabara to the edge of the field, with me following behind.

The crowd starts cheering "Kill Yusuke" and I sigh. "They ought to come up with something cleverer."

"You give them too much credit," Kurama says, lowering Kuwabara to the ground. "I think that's the best they can do."

Just then, a chime goes off, and a voice comes on over the speakers. "Can I have your attention please. The third round of the Dark Tournament will begin immediately."

"What?" Yusuke shouts. "Give me a break."

"Dammit," I growl. "I had a feeling something bad was going to happen." Kurama dashes over to his team, and I ball my hands into fists as the announcement continues.

"Furthermore, we'll be starting the round according to the match diagram, beginning from the left. Team Urameshi vs Team Masho. Please report to the ring."

Yusuke charges Koto, making her squeak in fear. "Hey, why don't you tell your stupid friends up there to let someone else fight?" he shouts.

"S-sorry, but if you have a complaint, you'll have to take it up with the committee. I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for their decision."

"Bull crap," I grunt. Botan and I look on from a distance as the crowd jeers at the four standing members of Team Urameshi.

"Botan, help me," Kuwabara says. "It's about to start. I need you to help me get there."

"No can do," she tells him. "Not unless you let Asaki heal you first."

"No way," he grunts, and I sigh.

"Then stay there and shut it," I snap.

"But we're all stuck in this thing together!" he cries. "I can't just lay here while everyone else is fighting for their lives."

"And what's the point if you lose yours now?" I ask him. "Think before you throw your life away." He looks at me, eyes wide, and I poke his face.

"What'd you do that for?"

"Because you look so serious. Just rest and trust our friends. We'll be okay." He lays back down, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well, Asaki, I'm proud of you," Botan says. "Not too long ago, you wouldn't have been able to say something like that."

"No, I really wouldn't have," I agree. "I think there's just something about all of these dopes I keep hanging around. They're making me all mushy."

Botan laughs as a wicked wind suddenly whips through the ring. I look up, eyes wide to see Team Masho appear. I would recognize those stupid outfits with their pointy black head coverings anywhere. They're the Shinobi of Spirit World, extremely powerful mercenaries that sell their services to the highest bidder. My father has used them a few times in the past, and they never fail to kill their marks.

One of them blows off his costume, and I recognize Jin, the wind user, a big grin on his face as he makes his way into the ring, heading toward Yusuke.

"Team captains," Koto says, "decide the battle terms." The pair exchange words I can't hear, and Koto relays the terms. One-on-one matches, with the winner taking five fights.

"That's crazy," I say. "With only four teammates on our side, how are we supposed to win five times?"

That awful chime rings again, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "May I have your attention please. The Tournament Committee will be issuing a medical examination before the next round."

"What is this?" Yusuke growls. "Gym class?"

"Due to the Urameshi team fighting without rest and in accordance with Section 13 of the Tournament Index, report to the medical tent."

Section 13…. I frown as Botan and I grab Kuwabara and help him over to where the rest of the team is standing as a gorgeous red-haired nurse steps out of a medical tent that I don't recall being there only a few minutes ago. What the hell is Section 13? Why does that sound familiar?

"Gentlemen," the nurse says, her voice unnecessarily sultry. She walks down the line, holding out her hand in front of the guys. She stops at Hiei and the masked fighter. "Yes, you two fighters. Will you please follow me to the medical tent?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Hiei snaps. "We need no medical attention. Why don't you go nurse the fool lying on his back?"

"Because his wounds don't interest me in the way yours do, Hiei. Maybe I can help you." She takes them over to her medical tent, leaving me still thinking.

"Section 13!" I gasp, looking at the nurse. "Get out of there!" I shout to Hiei and the masked fighter, but it's too late. The two collide with a barrier, receiving a nasty shock that sends them stumbling back.

"What's happening to them, Kurama?" Yusuke growls.

"It's a force field," Kurama says.

"Well, isn't that convenient."

"Asaki, what is Section 13?" Kurama asks me, never taking his eyes from our trapped friends.

"It's a stupid clause that allows for one team's fighters to subdue fighters from the other side before a match starts as long as the bets on the favored team are high enough." I grit my teeth, wanting to punch whoever the hell wrote something that unfair.

"Dammit!" Yusuke shouts. "Hey, red-head!" He runs over to the tent, saying, "Why do I get the feeling you're not a licensed nurse?"

He gets stopped by her force field, and she give him a sexy smirk as she pulls at the belt holding her outfit together. It falls away to expose her bare skin, her breasts and hips covered only by yellow cords that almost look like vines.

"That's correct, Yusuke. Enchantress is more like it."

"Yeah, that was my second guess," he grunts, eyes wide.

"Ruka is my name, regarded as the most talented creature alive in spell defense incantations."

"Whatever," he growls. "Give me my damn team back."

Ruka smiles. "Didn't you hear the announcement, Yusuke? They're both very sick and need my attention." She calls out an enchantment, and I feel the air shiver as her spell grows thicker around the tent.

"That energy thread," Kurama says. "It uses their own spirit energy against them. The more they struggle, the more powerful it becomes."

I shake my head, sighing. "It's no use, Yusuke. It's a cheap trick, but it's totally legal."

"Legal, my ass!" he snaps at me.

"As a result of the medical examination," that awful announcing voice rings out, "Hiei and the masked fighter are deemed unable to fight. They will sit out for the duration of the round while they receive medical treatment."

Yusuke charges up to Koto, and I sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't remember sooner."

"Don't trouble yourself," Kurama replies. "Even if you had told us, we wouldn't have understood the manner of their trap and might have been disqualified had we tried to defy orders." He makes his over to Yusuke to stop the guy from beating up the fox-girl, and I help Botan get Kuwabara back away from the ring so he can rest more.

"What are they going to do?" Botan asks. "This is completely unfair."

"What choice do they have? It's going to be two against five." I shiver at the thought as I watch Jin shrug off the hand of one of his teammates, walking outside of the ring to watch instead. He's replaced by another fighter who removes his robe as he steps into the fray.

"Gama," I grumble, recognizing the blue-skinned demon. The problem with the Shinobi is that they fight in the shadows, keeping their abilities secret when possible. While I've seen them before, I only recall what the more obvious powers are, like Jin and his wind.

Yusuke tries to step up to fight, but Kurama blocks him. I can't hear what they say, but in the end, my classmate leaves the ring to stand and watch as the fight begins. I brace myself, worried that this fight will be like Kurama's last. I'm not sure if I can handle watching him take a beating again.

Gama and Kurama square off, with the former saying a few things before he draws on his body with paint brushes. Once he's finished, I flinch at the increase in his energy level. What on earth? How does a bit of makeup manage that?

"Now, I haven't seen that one before," Koto cries. "Gama's covered his body in some kind of face paint, and now his demon energy is going insane!"

The fight begins in earnest, with Gama trying and failing to hit Kurama. However, he moves so fast that Kurama doesn't have time to fight back either. Time and again he dodges move after move, but the moment he missteps, landing wrong on his foot and slipping, Gama pulls out his paintbrushes, managing to paint a design on one of Kurama's pantlegs.

I watch, heart in my throat as Kurama struggles to move, trying to keep away from Gama who approaches slowly. Koto's voice rings out in the tense air, as she says, "Gama's makeup seems to take a reverse effect when used on his enemy. Kurama can barely move, and Gama is closing in like a tiger to his prey."

"I could skin her," I grunt.

"Agreed," Botan says.

Gama manages to catch Kurama's other leg and both his arms, rendering the fox demon essentially immobile. The Shinobi calls out, "The costume is complete. The Makeup of Chains!"

"Kurama!" Yusuke shouts. "Get rid of the outfit."

"Ha!" Gama sneers. "Don't be naive. Even if he could move, nearly 2000 pounds of weight is chained directly to his skin." The demon leaps around Kurama, toying with him, and all he can do is watch.

"Come on, Kurama," I plead. He'll think of something. He has to.

"If he dies, we're done for," Kuwabara gasps.

"Dammit!" I grunt, eyes glued to the demon I love. _He can't die. He promised_.

"And now you die, demon traitor!" Gama shouts, leaping toward Kurama for the fatal blow.

I can't tear my eyes away as Kurama shouts, "Rose Whip!" Using his hair to wield it, his signature whip slices up Gama so fast I almost miss it. Gama sinks to the ground, his purple blood dripping from his body and pooling on the ground around him as I pump a fist in the air.

"Thank goodness," I breathe, relieved.

"Way to go, Kurama! One down!" Yusuke shouts.

"An unbelievable 180, people!" Koto cries. "Kurama has somehow taken control of this fight."

Kurama and Gama exchange words I can't catch, and I watch, confused as Gama swings hopelessly at my friend, his blood splattering against Kurama's white outfit. But why? Why would he waste his life like that? The Shinobi sinks to the ground, finally dead as Koto begins an unnecessary ten count.

Something isn't right. I step forward, walking up to Yusuke. "What did he do?" I ask.

"Bastard said he gave Kurama some Makeup of the Seal," Yusuke grunts through gritted teeth. "He used his blood to seal Kurama's energy."

"What?" Looking up at the red-haired demon, I stare in horror at the red sparks flying around Kurama's body. "This is bad," I whisper.

"You're telling me," Yusuke says as the next fighter steps into the ring. He tosses off his robe, and I gasp.

"Toya, the Master of Ice."

"Ice and plants don't mix," Yusuke says.

"I really hope he's got more tricks up his sleeve."

"Or in his hair."

* * *

A/N: I've always hated Ruka. Her design is too much for me. Anyway, nothing particularly surprising here, just standard DT things. I have it in my head that as a child, Asaki just read all these terribly boring things like rule manuals and an insane amount of non-fiction. I figured I would make that stupid ruling in this part of the tournament sound official just for the heck of it, and with Asaki having apparently memorized the rule book for something she hates so much, that seemed like a good way to do it. Thanks for reading, and a special thank you to YukinaBlueRose and WithLoveSammiV for the reviews.

YYH is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi (woot woot).


	21. Nothing to Lose

"Kurama vs Toya!" Koto cries.

"Damn, this is wrong," Yusuke grunts, his hands balled into fists.

Toya powers up, and I leap back as far as I can, scrambling away from the freezing air that hits me like a wave. I end up by the medical tent where Hiei sneers at me.

"Can't handle a little cold when your friend's life is in danger?"

"I can't handle a little cold ever," I grunt in return. "Doesn't matter if my own life is in danger."

The battle starts in earnest, with Toya sending shards of ice at Kurama. He manages to move, but he can't dodge all of the ice, some of it skimming his arm and drawing blood. Toya sends handful after handful at Kurama, Koto's commentary getting on my nerves.

"Despite his awesome acrobatics," she cries, "Kurama can't dodge all these shards of ice!"

More and more hit him until he falls, landing flat on his back. "Just stay down!" Yusuke shouts. "I'll handle it from here!" There's no way he can manage taking on four demons in a row, especially with as tired as he must be.

"He can do this," I whisper.

"Keep believing, and maybe your thoughts will reach him," the masked fighter says. There's no malice in her words, and her clear eyes put me a little at ease.

"Words and thoughts can't save the fool if he can't defend himself," Hiei grunts.

"Can't you pretend to be a little less cruel for once?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

Kurama gets to his feet, and even through the icy wind, I can see he's breathing heavily. He manages to pull a rose from his hair, but as he calls for his whip, he winces, falling to his knees. He can't get enough of his spirit energy to use it properly.

Toya calls up more ice shards that cut into Kurama, knocking him onto the ground. Tears prick at my eyes as he struggles to push himself up once more. He can't stay down or we're all in trouble, but if he gets up this time, I'm worried he won't ever again.

"I sure know that facial expression," Koto says. "Pure, lovely, excruciating agony. And yet, he's still trying to get up! He's determined to take some more." Fire burns just beneath my skin, evaporating my tears even as they form. I can't take much more of this, or the fire won't be inside me anymore. Too much emotion and I might lose control.

Toya forms an ice sword from his hand, and my heart leaps into my throat, the fire blooming in my fists. This is it. This is going to be the last chance for either of them. The ice demon charges forward, and Kurama manages to dodge, but just barely. The assault continues, and I can tell he's struggling to keep moving.

"Tell fox-girl you give up!" Yusuke shouts. "I swear I'll take it from here!"

"He can't," I growl, my voice low, choked with tears.

Toya lands a blow, sending Kurama flying, and I race forward, standing beside Yusuke. He looks over at me for a second, and I know he can see the flames I'm struggling to subdue. _Breathe, Asaki_. But how can I when the one I love may die before my very eyes?

"Son of a frickin' bitch, Kurama, don't get up, let me take him" Yusuke shouts. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Pulling back my flame, I put a hand on Yusuke's shoulder, pushing a ridiculous amount of healing energy into him. He gasps, and I pull away.

"He's going to be okay," I whisper, my gaze never leaving Kurama's body. Kurama gets up, locking eyes with Yusuke and me for the briefest of moments. The determination I see there terrifies me. "Don't do it," I breathe.

"Do what?" Yusuke snaps. When I don't respond, he grabs my arm only to withdraw, his hand red from how hot my skin must be.

"Let me do what I must, Yusuke." Kurama's voice just reaches us, and my heart breaks in two.

"I'm going to end your life in one blow," Toya says. "Prepare yourself." Kurama stands, facing his opponent, but when his cry of pain hits my ears, I let out a pitiful sob. _You stupid fox!_

"I've gotten to know you quite well in this short fight," the ice demon says, a sick smile on his face. "I rather like you. Let's not let this slaying ruin our friendship."

"My thoughts exactly," Kurama replies, running to one side.

"Now, you shouldn't run," Toya laughs. "I can't guarantee a painless kill that way." He gives chase, jumping at the other demon. "Kurama! Farewell!"

Kurama extends his arm, and from it spring vines that plunge themselves through Toya's chest before the ice blade can connect.

"But how!" Toya gasps. "Your energy is locked inside you. How can you manipulate your death plant?"

I shake my head, everything within me burning hot. "It's in his arm. He used his life energy to grow the damn plant." Toya falls to the ground, the icy chill in the air fading as Koto runs forward.

"What a turn-around!" she cries. "I'll take a ten count!"

"My turn!" Yusuke says, and I give him a weak smile, the flames dying down inside me.

"Be careful," I grunt, my voice low and tight.

"No sweat," he replies. "Just make sure to look after fox boy for me."

We look back up at the stadium in time to see Kurama ask Toya what the Shinobi planned to do with their wish. He smiles sadly, his voice soft as he says, "I only wondered if you could make your life nobler...than mine...has been." His eyes close, and his body goes still, his words resonating in my ears.

 _Oh, my stupid fox. What regrets do you hold in your heart?_

"Kurama!" Yusuke shouts. Kurama's energy is so weak. If we don't get him out of the ring, I don't know that he'll make it. "Hey, fox girl," Yusuke cries, "just so we're clear, the rest of the fights are mine."

"Not so fast," someone says, stepping into the ring. He's a huge demon covered in scars, and I recognize him instantly. Bakken, another of the Shinobi.

"What?" Yusuke gasps.

"You forgot something," Bakken says, laughing. "He's still in the ring." He smiles, and it makes me sick. "Yes, it looks to me like he's volunteering to fight again."

"Oh, give me a break!" Yusuke shouts. "Kurama's not even conscious anymore! I'm taking this fight!"

Koto looks uncertain as she glances from Yusuke to Bakken. "A-all right, team captain decides, Yusuke vs Bakken."

"Correction," that overhead speaker sounds again, stopping my heart. "The next fight will be Kurama vs Bakken. A fighter cannot be removed from the ring against their will. As will cannot be determined here, the fighter remains."

"Son of a bitch," I growl at the same time as Yusuke. "This isn't right."

Bakken tosses Koto out of the ring, grinning. "Now that the ref is out of here, we can really have some fun." I watch, horrified as the demon hits Kurama, sending him flying.

"He's definitely down!" the ref says. "I'm going to count." This is the first time I've actually liked Koto. She starts counting, but Bakken isn't having it.

He lifts Kurama from the ground before Koto can reach ten, saying, "Look, he's on his feet again."

Swallowing hard, I ball my hands into fists, fury pouring through me in the form of searing flames. Bakken lands a blow to Kurama's stomach, and the fox demon hits the ground once more. Koto tries to stop the match, but Bakken smacks her out of the way, picking up Kurama's limp body.

He pulls his fist back for a blow when a voice says, "Bakken, stop."

"But why, Risho?" the demon says, looking to his team captain.

"Lay him outside the ring," Risho continues, ignoring Bakken's words.

"He's killed our sect members!" Bakken retorts.

"Yes, and if you had landed that punch, you would have died as well."

"What?" That's when Bakken turns to find Yusuke poised for a Spirit Gun shot right to the demon's head and fire pouring off of me in waves that I have every intention of using to roast him alive.

"Or, do you think you would have survived a bullet to the back?" Risho asks. "It's clear Yusuke cares more for that demon's life than this tournament. As for the girl, she's already been disqualified. She has nothing left to lose. They're willing to fight every apparition in this stadium if they must. We need to win, not fight a revolt."

"Fine!" Bakken grunts. "Take your precious buddy!" He tosses Kurama out of the ring, and I douse my flames in an instant, catching him before he hits the ground. He's surprisingly heavy, but I don't care. He's alive.

"Well," Koto snaps, "I think we can all agree Kurama will be staying outside the ring. Just change the blasted board already." I ignore the ping of the scoreboard, instead trying to move Kurama. Yusuke comes over, effortlessly picking up the red-haired demon.

"You'll be okay," he says, and the grief in his eyes matches my own. He sets Kurama down not far from Kuwabara and Botan, and I situate myself so that I'm behind him, wrapping my arms around my poor fox's body.

"The more contact the better," I mumble, mostly to myself, and Yusuke nods.

"Look after him."

"I will." I lock eyes with Yusuke, his burning with fury. "Make Bakken regret breathing," I snarl.

He doesn't respond, but I already know he'll do just that as he makes his way to the ring. I hold Kurama tightly, pressing my face into his shoulder as I pour all of the healing I can muster into him. Even as the sounds of fighting start to happen around me, even as I tell myself I should watch as Yusuke punishes the one who hurt Kurama this badly, all I can think about is healing. _Please, be okay_. _You have to._

The smallest movement makes me catch my breath, and as Kurama's hand finds one of mine, I gasp, a sob escaping me.

"S-sorry," he grunts. "I don't suppose...you'll forgive me for breaking my promise."

"Shut up," I whisper through gritted teeth. "You stupid fox." I hold him tightly, crying into his shoulder in relief. He's okay. I can't believe he's okay.

I catch the sound of a ten count and look up to find Yusuke heading this way, having already trashed Bakken. "How ya doing?" he asks Kurama.

"I'll survive," he replies, his voice so weak. "Sorry I couldn't finish the first three of them as I'd planned."

"Shut up," Yusuke says, and I laugh weakly. Poor guy. Everyone's telling him to be quiet today. "How are your injuries?"

"My wounds from Team Masho are nothing compared to this death plant. It will take a great deal of concentration and energy to remove." He smiles. "I suppose we really do reap what we sow."

"That was bad," I mumble, but I can't help but smile too as I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Look, just get some rest," Yusuke says. "These last two guys are going to be fish meat pretty soon."

"Be cautious with them, Yusuke," Kurama manages. "Whatever plans the Shinobi have, they want their wish very badly. These last two members are, without a doubt, the strongest."

Yusuke nods, getting to his feet. "I hear you. Now focus on getting better."

Kurama smiles, relaxing against me, and my face grows bright red. I didn't even think before I pulled him into my arms like this. I'd just been so desperate to touch him, to heal him. This is simultaneously the most embarrassing and wonderful thing I've ever experienced. Crap.

"You're very warm," he murmurs, sending shivers through me.

"S-sorry," I gasp. "It's my fire. It's hard to control when I'm feeling strong emotions."

"Don't trouble yourself," he says. "It's nice."

I could die right now and be happy. Hesitantly, I rest my head against his as Jin and Yusuke step up to the ring to fight. The red-haired wind demon's ears are wiggling, which only means one thing: he's excited about this fight.

"I have a hard time wanting Yusuke to hurt Jin," I mumble. "I've always liked him."

"Do you know him?" Kurama asks.

"Not well. My father hired the Shinobi from time to time, and Jin's the only one who ever talked to me. Not that I was allowed to say much in return."

Jin says something rapidfire to Yusuke in his thick Irish accent, and the two of them start laughing, and I find myself smiling as well. That demon can be so bright and chipper that it's contagious.

"Why's Yusuke laughing with the bad guy?" Kuwabara asks.

"Because they're both crazy," I reply, smiling even as Jin kicks up a good wind. As the Wind Master jumps up into the sky, I ask, "Kurama, what do the Shinobi want to wish for?"

"This island," he says, his voice soft.

"Really? Why?"

"They've had some time in the light, and they want more."

"I can't really fault them for that," I reply. "I can empathize."

"As can I," Kurama says.

"Hey…I know I haven't been around much, and in the grand scheme of things, we don't know each other all that well, but...you know you can talk to me, right? When you're feeling down or scared or angry." He doesn't say anything at first, and I suddenly feel really stupid. "I-I mean, only if you want to. I just-"

"Thank you, Asaki." He squeezes my hand gently, and my face burns bright red once again. "It's good to know there's someone I can confide in when I need to."

If he wasn't laying on me, I probably would have turned away or run or something. As it is, all I can do is hold him until my embarrassment abates. There's no way my father can't see this. He's going to be so mad.

A wind kicks up in the stadium again as Jin comes back down, soaring through the air, all around us. I can't help but smile, despite knowing this could be really bad for Yusuke. When the Wind Master finally does attack, he barely dodges a kick from Yusuke before punching him squarely in the face.

"Still like that wind jerk?" Kuwabara grunts.

"For now," I mumble.

"Maybe it's the red hair," Botan says.

"Hardly," I reply, well-aware of what she really means. I brush some of Kurama's hair out of his eyes, my fingers healing a scratch on his face along the way. As long as I'm stuck here like this, I might as well take advantage of the situation, right? Kurama doesn't say anything, much to my relief.

"What in in the world are they talking about up there? They're both smiling." Botan says, shaking her head.

Kuwabara laughs weakly. "I think Urameshi's finally found someone he can complain with."

"Oh?"

"He's been a loner about as long as I've known him. I mean, Keiko's the only one who can talk to him, and I'll be darned if I understand that relationship. But this Jin guy's just the same, like a twin."

"Hm. Well, that'll make fighting with him difficult." Kurama laughs weakly, the sound barely coming out, and I'm worried that probably hurts him. "What's wrong, Kurama?" Botan asks. "Are you all right?"

"Just laughing," he wheezes. "It seems you don't know brothers well, Botan."

"They really could be brothers," I say, resting my head on top of Kurama's this time. "I've got an idiot like that too."

"Who?" Botan asks.

"He's stuck in the tent over there," I say, tilting my head toward Hiei. "We used to pretend to be siblings when we stole things together, and it kind of stuck, at least for me. Although, to be fair, I think he has too many sister problems to have ever thought of me that way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kuwabara asks.

"Nothing," I reply, grinning. Poor Kuwabara. He didn't stay to watch the rest of Koenma's video that day we went to rescue Yukina. He doesn't know she's Hiei's sister.

"You two do really fight like siblings," Kuwabara grunts. "So, I guess when you said you loved him, you meant it like that."

"Yes," I reply. "The idea of being romantically involved with Hiei kind of makes me want to tear out my own eyes."

"Yeesh," Kuwabara says. "He's not that bad."

"He stabbed me through the stomach to prove a point," I deadpan.

"That's fair," Kuwabara grunts. "So, what about Urameshi, then? You love him like a brother too?"

"Mm-hm." I smile. "Don't worry, Kuwabara, I feel the same way about you. I have every intention of being at your and Yukina's wedding."

"Yukina," he says, sighing happily. After a moment, he says, "What about Kurama?"

"Hm?" I look up, eyes wide at what Kuwabara just said. He's not looking my way, but Botan is, and she looks worried. I raise an eyebrow, but she shakes her head emphatically. I guess this is just Kuwabara talking out of his head.

"Do you love Kurama too?"

"Nah," I reply. "I can't bring myself to love someone whose hair is prettier than mine." Kurama snorts, and I stiffen in surprise. "Did you just…?"

Botan laughs as well and Kurama says, "I would debate that."

"Debate all you want, but your hair is ridiculously soft." I run my fingers through it, every inch of me glowing with happiness at an excuse to do so.

Kurama moves slowly, reaching up, his fingers brushing against my ear, making my heart stop as he pulls my braid over my shoulder, running his hand along its length. "Your hair is lovely, Asaki," he says before letting it go. It falls off my shoulder, and my whole body is suddenly warm again, despite the wind Jin's been kicking up this whole time.

"All right, lovebirds," Kuwabara says. "Shh, you're missing the fight."

"Lovebirds?" I growl. "You're pretty smart-mouthed for someone who can't move."

"Not like you can either." He's got a point.

Sighing, I shift Kurama gently, so he's sitting up a little better. He grunts in pain, and I gasp. "Sorry!"

"It's all right." Despite the fact that he's nearly able to sit up on his own, he still leans against me. I don't know how I'm going to be able to let him go once he's all better.

Meanwhile, the fight's been moving like crazy around us, with Yusuke finally on the offensive. He's throwing rapidfire punches at Jin who can do nothing but block each hit. Yusuke manages a solid blow to Jin's middle, but before he can land another, the wind demon floats into the air.

Botan scrambles over to the ring to give Koto a piece of her mind. All I catch is Koto saying, "Article 4. Fighters are out of the ring when any part of their body touches anything solid other than the ring, and air is not solid."

"Nice try," I mumble. "Technicalities are what this stupid game thrives on."

"Asaki?" Kurama says.

"Hm?"

"How did you know about Section 13 earlier?"

"Oh. I have the rulebook memorized."

"Memorized?" Kuwabara grunts.

"You guys seem to forget I had the world's most miserable childhood. I didn't have anything better to do."

Just then, Yusuke launches a Spirit Gun at the still airborne Jin who just manages to create a tornado to deflect the shot in time. "That's crazy," I gasp.

"Guess Urameshi's gonna have to stick with the old fist-fighting action," Kuwabara says.

"But every time Yusuke gets close enough for a final punch, Jin flies away!" Botan cries. "So, how in the flip is he supposed to hit him!"

"I don't know, Botan!" Kuwabara whines. "Don't yell at me."

"He'll figure something out," I say.

"Your faith in him is moving," Kurama replies.

"He had faith in you," I tell him. "And somehow, that turned out okay." I poke him gently in the ribs, and he shakes his head.

"Tickling me is hardly a good idea right now."

"Logging that away for later. Kurama is ticklish." I smile as Kurama laughs lightly.

In the ring, Jin spins his arm, causing a tornado to appear around his fist. He dives bombs Yusuke, and I watch closely, eyes widening as Yusuke raises his finger to launch a Spirit Gun.

"He's crazy," I whisper as the two attacks collide, setting off a massive explosion. I hold tightly to Kurama as the blast shoves us harder against the wall. "Heavy," I mumble when it's over.

"Sorry," he grunts, moving to shift away from me.

"Stay," I snap. "You can barely sit upright, dummy."

The smoke clears to show Yusuke out of the ring, standing beside the medical tent and Jin still up in the air. They yell some things at each other that I can't catch, my ears still ringing from the explosion before Yusuke climbs back into the ring.

Jin revs up two Tornado Fists, ready to end this, when Yusuke drops into a strange stance, channeling energy through his whole body.

"Never seen Urameshi do that crazy stuff with his hands before," Kuwabara grunts, sitting upright.

"Me neither," Botan says.

"Have patience," Kurama grunts. "He certainly has a history for surprises."

* * *

A/N: Rewatching the series and paying even closer attention to Kurama than usual really just makes me sad. It's hard to watch a character you love get beat up so badly. I got to channel those feelings into Asaki who was about to torch the whole stadium. Easily seconded sentiment. Most of this chapter was pretty miserable to write, but getting to tease Asaki and Kurama made it a bit better. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys are great :)

YYH is property of Yoshihiro Togashi and such.


	22. 2000 Degrees

The Wind Master dives at Yusuke, grinning like a maniac, his two Tornado Fists ready to tear the human apart. However, when one Fist goes to connect, Yusuke catches it in his own hand.

"No way," I whisper, in awe.

The wind pushes Yusuke back, but once he braces himself, he manages to dispel the wind around the hand he's caught. He uses his foot to dispel the other Tornado Fist, following up with a punch to Jin's gut as Yusuke cries, "Spirit Wave!"

The force of the blast sends Jin flying into the sky. We all watch, holding our breath as the demon falls hard and fast, sliding through the stands where, I realize too late, Keiko and Shizuru had been.

"Keiko!" Yusuke cries.

"Don't worry," Botan says. "Shizuru sensed it."

I sigh, mumbling, "Sometimes I wonder just how human Kuwabara's family really is." Kurama chuckles, and I smile as Koto gives the ten count.

"Well, that was a damn good fight, Jin," Yusuke says. "Nice to know I'm not the only freak around. Maybe we'll hang out if you ever wake up."

"And he's even made a friend," Botan cheers. The crowd starts booing and jeering, and Botan shouts, "Can't we even have a moment of positivity here?"

"She must not spend a lot of time around low-class demons," I say, shaking my head.

"I doubt there are many with cause to frequent Spirit World," Kurama replies.

"That's fair." The next member of Team Masho steps into the ring, tossing off his robe to reveal…. "Aw, gross, Risho," I mumble. Risho of the Shinobi of Spirit World is a narcissistic jerk who fancies himself invincible. It doesn't help that he's a master of earth spells and uses them to make armor.

The two square off, and as Yusuke moves in to attack, the speakers chime again. "Stop this fight immediately."

"Stop the fight? What for?" Botan cries.

"They're up to something," Kurama grunts.

"Tournament Committee, please clarify. Why have you interrupted this fight?" Koto says.

"After reviewing the film of the last fight, it has been verified that Koto delayed her ten count significantly during Yusuke's first ring out," that awful voice declares.

"Since when do we pay attention to that?" she asks.

"Therefore, by complete and unanimous decision, the fight between Yusuke and Jin has been ruled a double loss, and therefore, Yusuke is ineligible to fight for the duration of the round."

"Well, that's just the biggest crap job I've ever heard in my life!" Botan shouts.

"Agreed," I say. "It's literally in the rules that the ten count is mostly at the ref's discretion. She's supposed to delay it." What happens now? Kurama's lost a fight and Yusuke is ineligible along with Hiei and the masked fighter. That means...they're out of the Tournament?

"What are you waiting for, Koto? Declare my team the winners," Risho says.

Koto grumbles as she picks up her mic. "As an experienced officiator and a lover of this Tournament, I object!" She's starting to grow on me, that psycho ref is.

"There will be no more discussion," the announcer says.

I don't even have words for how disgusted I am right now. I wonder who paid off the Committee well enough to pull crap decisions like this on everyone. Even the crowd doesn't like it, not that those filthy rich humans care.

Toya climbs into the ring, saying something I can't quite catch to Risho. The Master of Earth sneers, hitting his comrade with a fist covered in stone, sending him back out of the ring.

"I hate him," I growl. "What I wouldn't give to torch his hair off."

Risho advances on Koto, his stance threatening. The ref backs away, looking confused, and Yusuke steps between them. "You know," he says, "you seem really anxious to intimidate everyone here except me. What do you think that means?" Risho sneers, and Yusuke shouts, "Come on!"

"Detective, don't waste your time." Hiei's voice carries across the air for the first time since he was trapped in that stupid medical tent. "Fight by their meaningless rules, and you'll be pulled down with them. There's only one real law of the Dark Tournament." The little demon begins to power up, his black flames igniting the ground around him as he says, "The strongest prevails."

Ruka has to step away, and I can tell her stupid enchantment is fading. It's no match for a recovered Hiei. "I've retrieved enough of my energy to rip my way out," he says. "Let's show this whole stadium a new definition of victory."

"They're going to kill us anyway," Yusuke agrees. "Why not take on every damn freak til no one's left. That sounds good to me. I'm already about to go off."

I really don't want to have to give them a reason that would be a bad idea. As good as it might feel to make the corrupt assholes in charge pay for screwing with us, I wonder if Yusuke even knows how tired he really is. He doesn't have any energy after that Spirit Wave of his.

Not that we're being left much choice. If I'm going to die here, I'd like to go down swinging as well.

"Oh," Koto whines. "I absolutely hate to see such a good competitor go out of the game without a good chance to inflict pain on someone, but due to Yusuke's ineligibility and as there are no other members on his team _available_ to fight, by forfeit, the winner of the round is-"

"Wait right there!" Kuwabara's voice breaks through the arena, and I stare in shock. He's standing. I can't believe it when he was so hurt not that long ago. "We still have another fighter!" The crowd is in uproar, but Kuwabara doesn't care. "Let's go!"

"The boy can't even stand without doubling over!" Botan shouts. "As team trainer, I object!"

"Interesting," Kurama says.

"If he gets himself killed, I'm going to kick his butt before I heal him," I mumble.

"You ought to save your strength for your own battle," Kurama replies.

"Oh, um…." I sigh. "It doesn't matter. I've already been disqualified."

"What?"

"I was told before I even came down here that if I did, I wouldn't be able to compete anymore."

"I'm sorry," Kurama says, sighing. "We've caused you so much trouble."

"It's fine. You guys mean more to me than something like school anyway." I give him a smile, and he shakes his head as a severely injured Kuwabara makes his way to the ring.

"Let's win this thing clean," Kuwabara tells Yusuke. "Like-"

"Like men," Yusuke finishes for him, smiling.

"How touching," Hiei grunts.

"Bite my ankles, shorty! I swear I'll make you cry to you mom!" Kuwabara snaps at him. "If you have a mom, that is."

Kurama laughs. "To think, they could one day be in-laws."

I snort, grinning. "That's the most beautiful thing I've heard all day. Good to know almost dying hasn't affected your sense of humor." He smiles at me, and I manage to slide out from behind him, sitting at his side. "You seem much better now."

"Thanks to you," he says. "That would have taken much longer without your assistance."

"That's why I'm here," I reply. "That and to clean up what's left of Kuwabara when this is over, I guess."

"I wouldn't underestimate him. The odds may look grim, but he's strangely resourceful when need be."

"I really hope you're right," I say, wishing I was still holding him. I could use some comfort right now. As though he can read my mind, Kurama reaches over, squeezing my hand gently before letting go.

Kuwabara and Risho start to fight, although it's more like Risho fights, and Kuwabara takes all the hits. Blow after blow, time after time, but Kuwabara keeps getting to his feet, refusing to stay down. It reminds me of Kurama, in all honesty. These guys are all absolutely amazing. Their determination, friendship, and sense of responsibility blows me away. How did I get so lucky to be friends with them?

Risho covers his body in rock, and I lean forward, fully prepared to heal Kuwabara when he stays down at last.

"Why don't you quit?" Risho growls as the orange-haired guy gets to his feet yet again.

"You dummy," Kuwabara says, laughing weakly. "Guess you haven't checked the score for this round lately. We've got four wins and you've got two, and the first to five wins. Urameshi and Kurama gave it all for us, and I still have a way to bring it home for 'em."

"He's going...to kill himself," Hiei mutters.

"What is it with you morons and thinking that's okay?" I growl, getting to my feet.

"I know what you're doing," Risho says. "Using your life energy will only delay this. You're still going to die."

"No joke, moron," Kuwabara grunts. "That's the whole point of this fight. As long as I take you with me."

"What?"

"If this fight ends in a draw, my team wins, and the rest of my guys get to live." Kuwabara smiles, saying, "Hiei, you're a little punk, and you always said mean stuff to me, but I know underneath all that junk, you're a good guy." Hiei stares, wide-eyed as Kuwabara continues.

"Kurama. You taught me a lot with the things you said. There's nobody more caring than you." Kurama looks at Kuwabara as though he's been caught doing something and was called out on it.

"Asaki." I ball my hands into fists as he says, "You're like a sister to me. You would have made a great bridesmaid at my wedding." My knees feel weak, and I sink to the ground to keep from falling, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

"Mummy fighter...person. You saved those guys from Doctor Ichigaki, and that means a lot. You didn't say much, but somehow, I feel like I really know you.

"And Urameshi…well…." Kuwabara turns to face his friend, "Just take care of the rest of this, okay?"

"Kuwabara," I mumble, feeling sick to my stomach.

"Don't you do this!" Yusuke shouts, echoing my own thoughts.

"Let's not get too upset, Urameshi. I wanna keep my finish nice and manly."

"Dammit, if all guys are like this, I'm going to die alone," I grumble. "I can't put up with all of this bull crap!"

Risho leaps into the air, charging up and dive-bombing Kuwabara. Rather than dodging, the human catches Risho, the sheer force of the demon's attack driving him back along the center of the ring.

"Kazuma!" I look over to see Yukina standing with the rest of the girls. What is she doing here?

The air suddenly changes, and I look over to see that Kuwabara has stopped Risho's advance, his eyes full of anger. "I'm not babbling!" he cries. "She's my girlfriend!" With that last word, he hits Risho in the face, sending the demon flying.

Kuwabara's whole being seems to glow from happiness, the expression on his face so dopey I can't stand to look. "There's only one person who calls me by my first name!" he cheers, rushing over to Yukina.

"He's unreal," I say, but I find myself smiling.

"It's incredible the strength you feel knowing the one you love is cheering for you," Kurama says. I look over at him, my face growing red. "Which I would hope is a good reason not to die alone."

I nod dumbly. "You may be right." A sudden surge of energy draws my eyes from Kurama, my heart beating weirdly, to find Kuwabara all powered up, his Spirit Sword in hand. "That is something else," I mumble as Kuwabara shatters Risho's armor, sending him flying as Koto starts a ten count.

She reaches nine when Kuwabara climbs back into the ring, standing victorious. "Urameshi Team advances!" Koto cries.

"Yes!" I cheer, grinning and looking at an immensely relieved Kurama. "You guys are all ridiculous, but it doesn't matter as long as you keep pushing through!"

"Well put," he says, smiling warmly at me.

"All right, everyone, hold onto your seat because the next match is about to start!" Koto calls.

"That's our cue," I say, getting to my feet. I help Kurama up, and he manages to walk without too much trouble. The others come over, and we exchange goofy grins as we start to leave.

"Will Team Anno please make their way to the ring with your captain."

I freeze, looking up at the Tournament Committee's booth. "What the heck?" I ask.

"I thought you were disqualified," Yusuke says.

"Me too. Risho even said as much, so someone told him too."

"Someone is messing with you by association with us," Hiei says.

"I am so not in the mood," I growl, turning and heading back into the ring. "Koto, what's going on? I was disqualified."

"I know," she says, eyes wide.

"Let me see this," I say, taking her mic from her. "You disqualified me!" I shout in the direction of the Committee, my patience wearing very thin.

The announcer's voice rings loud and clear across the arena. "For the sake of the Tournament, the Committee has chosen to overlook your transgressions and allow you to compete."

"I bet," I grumble, passing Koto back her mic. I turn around, seething, as I approach my team. They stand, arms crossed, not looking at me. "I'm sorry, everyone," I tell them, "but I'm going to blow this fight."

All eyes are on me as Hoki asks, "What do you mean?"

I give them a smile. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you guys. I promise I'll make sure my father pays you whatever you were told he would. I'm glad we got to fight and train together. It was surprisingly fun."

"Asaki," Eiki says, grabbing my arm. "What are you going to do?"

"Watch me," I tell him, smiling as I step back and jump into the ring, making my way toward the team captain on the other side.

"Team Captains, decide the terms of the match," Koto says.

"I'll take your whole team by myself," I tell the other captain.

"Excuse me?" he says, eyes wide. "Don't insult us!"

"On the contrary," I reply. "This'll be a lot easier on all of us if you just accept."

"I'll cut out your tongue," he growls. "I accept."

Koto backpedals, calling out to the audience, "This is insane! The terms for the fight are a 5v1, with Asaki fighting the entirety of Team Garenja!"

The crowd jeers, and as I make my way to the edge of the ring, my team is staring, dumbstruck.

"You can't take them all on, Asaki!" Eiki says. "Please, reconsider!"

"I know you guys don't really like me much," I say, "but I refuse to let the damn Committee screw with me anymore. Besides, I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I think I've had enough of that today."

Eiki stares at me for a long moment before he grunts, turning away. "Fine. Do what you want. As long as we get our money, who cares?"

"That's my boy," I say, and he looks back at me, eyes wide as I give him a cheeky grin. "You're going to want to stand back." Turning to face the other team, I let out a deep breath. "It's about to get hot."

I haven't done this in ages, but it feels good to let my body burn, the flames leaping from my skin as Koto declares the fight started. "I hope you like technicalities!" I shout at the Committee, holding my hand out in front of me, palm down to the ring's surface. I ramp up my heat, letting it reach just under 2000 degrees Celsius, roughly higher than the melting point of clay, the material the ring is made of.

"Look out!" the captain of the other team cries, as the ring starts to bubble. They leap off, and I put out my other hand, turning the ring into liquid rock. I use the fire in my hands to shape it, pressing the clay smaller and smaller until it's the size of a beach ball, and letting it rest in my hand.

The audience is dead silent, and all eyes are on me. "Better start a ten count, Koto," I say. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only person touching the ring."

"What?" one of Team Garenja's members cries. "That's stupid!"

"Uh, rules are rules," Koto says. "I'll start the count."

"Get her!" their team shouts, but before they can take a step toward me, I fire up, sending out heat in waves along with the occasional tongue of flame.

"We can't get close!" someone cries, but my world is a torrent of flame. The only thing I can focus on is maintaining the shape of the ring in my hand and making sure not to lose control. This much heat getting loose could melt the flesh off the bones of every person in the stadium, myself included.

Koto reaches ten, shouting, "Victory Team Anno!"

The crowd boos as I withdraw the inferno back into my body, maintaining the heat in my hand that holds the ring. "Hey, Tournament Committee," I shout as loudly as I can. "If you want your stupid ring back, disqualify me and my team!"

"What?" Koto says. "But you just won."

"That was the stupidest victory of the whole Tournament," I growl. "If shit like this can get by, then there's no hope for any of those morons up there. I'm not playing their games anymore."

There's a moment of silence before the announcer comes on the air. "The Committee has agreed. Team Anno is disqualified, making Team Garenja the winners."

"Great," I say, tossing the ball of clay into the air. It expands, and I manipulate it back into the shape of a giant circle. Tossing a peace sign over my head, I make my way out of the arena with my team at my back.

"Asaki, that was crazy!" Hoki shouts.

"You were so cool!" Riki says.

"Thanks," I mumble, absolutely exhausted. I fall to my knees, wondering why this scene looks familiar. It isn't until I see a hand still covered in blood extended to me that I realize why. I find myself gazing into Kurama's eyes, the rest of Team Urameshi at his back.

I let him help me to my feet, as Yusuke says, "Remind me never to piss you off. I thought you were going to burn the whole place down."

"Give me a little credit," I tell him, smiling as I release Kurama's hand.

"I don't know if this makes you feel any better," my black-haired classmate says, "but that was definitely one hell of a show."

I stare at him, eyes wide as tears evaporate on my cheeks. "Really?" He nods, and I find myself grinning. "Well, I'm glad it made someone happy."

Turning to face my team who're watching with wary eyes, I give them a smile. "I really am sorry guys. I'm sure you wanted to fight."

"It's fine," Eiki says, walking past us. "See you around, Anno." I flinch at the use of my last name as his brothers follow without a word.

Sighing, I wipe a hand over my eyes. "I'm so over this whole thing," I say. "I just want to go home."

"Don't we all," Yusuke grunts as we make our way out of the stadium as well. "I think I just really want a nap." As he says this, Keiko, Yukina, Botan, and Shizuru come into sight, heading toward us.

Kuwabara runs to meet Yukina, gushing something that's too embarrassing for me to even listen to while Yusuke stares at Keiko like he's never seen her before. I let out a sigh, my own eyes straying to the red-haired demon at my side. He looks a lot better than before, and he's managed to get most of the death plant out of his body, which is a relief.

Noticing my eyes on him, he turns to me, smiling. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

* * *

A/N: Some days I love Asaki, and other days, I want to slap her upside the head. This is a good day. In case anyone actually cares to know, the melting point of clay is approximately 1780 degrees Celsius. This chapter was very much just a watching thing for Asaki until she got to participate, and I love getting to throw the Committee's silly rules back in their faces. The next thing she'll have to face is Kurama, which honestly is scary in its own way. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose, AmericanNidiot, and 2 for the reviews!

YYH is property of Yoshihiro Togashi!


	23. Promises

We end up down by the water, our shoes left on the rocks above the sand, watching the waves roll in as the sun sinks lower in the sky. I walk beside Kurama, finding myself stealing glances at him every few feet. After a while, he stops, turning to face me.

"I'm still alive, Asaki. I'm not going anywhere."

"Uh...I…." I sigh, digging a hand into the base of my braid. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to having people I care for so much, let alone having to watch them nearly die." I bite my lip as I worry the end of my braid between my fingers. "I can't explain to you how painful it was to watch you fight Toya, helpless to do anything for you. And then, with Bakken…." My voice breaks on that name, and I turn away, taking a deep breath so I don't start crying again.

"I'm sorry, Asaki," Kurama says. "I know this is hard for you. If it makes things easier, I won't ask you to watch any more of the fights."

I whirl around to face him, making him jump, surprised. "No way," I tell him. "At least one of us has to keep their promises." He sighs, smiling weakly as I say, "I'm going to have to think up a punishment for you breaking the one about not fighting back, you know."

"Whatever you wish," he says, bowing slightly to me.

I look out at the ocean, pretending to think before I say, "Carry me like a princess!" He stares at me for a moment, his face slightly red before taking a step toward me. "I was just kidding!" I cry as he scoops me up into his arms.

"Kurama!" I squeak, suddenly way too close to him. He's smiling hugely, and I'm overwhelmed by emotions as I say, "Put me down; I was kidding!"

He chuckles, and I feel it as much as I hear it as he sets me down, my feet landing in the surf. "Be careful what you wish for," he tells me, smiling softly.

"You're a jerk," I say, as I step back, kicking water at him. My smile fades from my face as I look back out toward the horizon. "It's halfway over."

"It is," he says. "However, the second half will be much more difficult than the first, I fear."

"New promise?" I ask, looking over at him. He gives me a small smile, and I say, "Let's find the best ramen place in town when we get back home, okay?" I hold out my pinky to him, and he links his with mine without hesitation.

"I look forward to it," he tells me, making my heart beat a little faster. He knows as well as I do that this one means more than just good food. It means we'll be making it back alive. There's no breaking the promise this time.

…

The next morning finds me standing face-to-face with Hiei, not far from the stadium. He'd called me out here, but instead of talking, he's just staring me down.

"What is it?" I snap. "It's too early for games."

"We need to talk about Kurama."

Which is _not_ what I'm expecting. "Okay," I say. "Shoot."

"You should stay away from him if you don't want to get hurt."

"Hiei, what are you talking about?"

"The way you've been fawning over him all this time is seriously starting to piss me off," he growls.

"Fawning over him?" I gasp, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm not blind, you moony moron. If you were any more in love with him, you'd have hearts pouring out of your ears."

"Hiei, I don't know what you're talking about," I say, narrowing my eyes. Have I been that obvious? Does everyone know? No way. It's just Hiei being Hiei. Stupidly, irritatingly observant.

"He's not the knight in shining armor you seem to think he is. All that kindness of his is just a front to hide the cruelty underneath. He's a cunning fox, and he never does anything unless he has something to gain from it. If you keep clinging to him like this, you'll just get in his way."

"I'm not stupid, Hiei," I snarl at him, hands clenched into fists. "I think Kurama's capable of picking his own battles, and so am I, so why don't you just shut up, you asshole!" Fire sparks in my hands, and Hiei laughs.

"I've been wondering where your fire's gone to. You've been a puppy in Kurama's lap since the moment you met him." He draws his sword, and I realize he thought I was trying to pick an actual fight with him.

Shit. It's too late to back down now. Sighing, I take a fighting stance as Hiei raises his blade to me. He springs forward, and I barely dodge him, stepping to the side. One of my hands brushes his arm, and he jumps away, rubbing the tiny burn. It fades, which is when I remember Hiei's a fire demon too.

If only I could use a sword.

We leap toward each other, but before either of our attacks connect, I sense another presence just in time to dodge Hiei's blow. We both stand facing each other as Kurama comes toward us.

"What is going on here?" he asks.

"Nothing," Hiei says, crossing his arms and walking away, toward the stadium.

"Asaki!" Kurama grabs my hand as I turn to go the other way, and I freeze, sighing. "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter," I say, not looking at him.

"If it was enough for you to fight Hiei, I think it does." He doesn't let go of my hand, and he doesn't say anything else, just waits.

Turning to face him, I slide my hand out of his. "I just hate when Hiei's right," I growl. "He told me...that you're no knight in shining armor. Which, I already know. Just because you've been there for me when I needed you doesn't exactly mean anything. You're nice to everyone."

I fold my hands in front of me, squeezing them tightly as though by doing so, I can hold myself together. "He said I was a bother to you, the way I'm always hanging around and all that. It made me think that I must be. And I'm sorry." I grip the base of my braid tightly, yanking on it hard. "I don't mean to be a pest, all stupid and clumsy all the time. I promise, I'll stop." My heart nearly hurts as I say these words, but I continue. "I won't bother you anymore, so-"

"Since when does Hiei decide my life for me?" I'd been staring down at my hands, but the tone of his voice makes me look up. His normally placid eyes are very serious.

"W-what?"

"Hiei has his own particular way of viewing things. It differs greatly from mine." He takes a step toward me, and I unconsciously step back. "So, I ask again, since when does Hiei decide my life for me?" I open my mouth to say something, but words won't come.

"Have I ever told you that you bothered me?" I shake my head. "Have I ever called you a pest?" I look down at my hands, trembling a little. Where is he going with this? "Do I seem like the kind of person who wouldn't tell you if you got on my nerves?"

"No," I mumble.

"Asaki, I enjoy being friends with you." The seriousness is gone from his voice, replaced with gentleness. I look up, surprised to find his tone reflected in those emerald eyes. "I don't care if you decide you want to follow me to school and home every day. I don't care if you memorize all my classes and become best friends with my mother and do all my homework for me."

I laugh, surprising myself yet again and am rewarded with the warmest smile I've ever seen. "You know I'd never do most of those things. I'm only so weird. As for your mother, it's too late. We're already the best of friends."

He chuckles, but then his expression grows serious again. "You don't have to do that, you know."

"Do what?" I ask, wondering what I've done to upset him now.

"It's okay to cry." I blink in surprise, tears suddenly pooling in my eyes. I'd been evaporating them without even knowing it.

"That's easy for you to say," I mumble, wiping the offending drops away. "I've never seen you cry, and it feels like I'm always sobbing all over you."

He shrugs. "I'll let you know when that bothers me too."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," I say, even as one of my hands reaches for his shirt. It holds tightly, and I stare at it, unsure of what I intend on doing. Kurama doesn't move, and neither do I as tears fall from my eyes. "Dammit," I mumble, tugging on the fabric lightly before letting go.

"Asaki, I'm here for you."

I nod. "If you ever actually need me, I'm here for you too." I give him a small smile, about to suggest we follow our tiny, angry demon friend when someone calls my name. Turning, I'm surprised to find Eiki standing behind me.

"Asaki, I need to talk to you." He glares at Kurama, growling, "In private."

Looking back at Kurama, I say, "I'll catch you later, okay?"

"All right." Kurama gives me a smile as he turns and heads toward the stadium, leaving me alone with Eiki.

"What's up?" I ask him.

He crosses his arms, sighing. "That fight of yours was the single stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"Ouch," I say. "I'm hurt."

"You could have been! Who's to say that other team wouldn't have dove at you while you were on fire?"

"No one," I reply. "But, in all honesty, most people with any common sense are afraid of fire. I know I am."

"That's one shitty thing to count on."

"If you're just here to yell at me, I'll pass," I snap. "What do you actually want, Eiki?"

He sighs, tossing a large cloth bag at me. "That's the money your father paid us. We don't want it."

"The hell do you mean, you don't want it? You guys fought, you trained, and you had to put up with me for that money. You don't have a choice." I throw it back.

"Asaki-"

"Eiki, if you don't take that money, I will burn your tail off."

He stares at me, wide-eyed, before doubling over with laughter. "You are something else, Asaki." His grin catches me off-guard, and I find myself completely at a loss for how to respond. "The guys said they wouldn't take any money unless we had your blessing. I'll let them know we do."

"Y-yeah," I say, still a little shocked. "Of course you do."

He gives me a sad kind of smile as he says, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but the past three months have been the most fun any of us have had in years."

"Fun?" I'm so confused.

"Sure we fought a lot, and we were training for this piece of shit tournament, but you took care of us. You whipped us into shape and healed our wounds, never complaining about how hard it was for you. We're stronger now than we've ever been, and it's all thanks to you."

He runs a hand through his hair, smiling softly as he says, "You've earned our respect and my love."

"Love?" I stare, eyes wide, my face growing red.

"Asaki, I love you," Eiki says. "Will you go out with me?"

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I thought these demons were just putting up with me all this time, only fighting for the money. It never even occurred to me they fought at my side because they wanted to. Respect...and love? What do I even say?

He waits, and I know I have to tell him something. "Eiki, I'm sorry, but, I can't."

"I figured you'd say that," he replies, sighing. "It was worth a shot at least." He points a finger at me, expression serious. "If that guy breaks your heart, I'm going to kick his ass and come for you, all right?"

"Eiki," I say, overwhelmed.

"I'd tell him myself, but he actually kind of scares me." He gives me a grin, stepping toward me. "We're going to go back home, but I know we'll meet again." I gasp as he pulls me into his arms for a moment, squeezing me before stepping back. "Be safe, okay?"

I nod. "Y-yeah. You too. Tell your brothers thanks for everything."

"I will." With that, he turns, running off into the forest and leaving me alone once more. I stare at the spot where he disappeared, feeling a little cold.

I'm not sure how long I stand here, but eventually, I hear footsteps and look to find Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan heading my way.

"Asaki!" Botan says, running to me. "Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Ah, sorry," I mumble, rubbing my eyes before any tears think they want to spill over.

"What's wrong? You look miserable."

"I just...got confessed to?" It comes out like a question, but I don't mean it to.

"Whoa, no way!" Kuwabara says.

"By who?" Yusuke digs.

"Now, now, boys!" Botan holds out her hands to stop them before saying, "Give the girl some space. This is probably the first time this has happened to her." Botan looks back to me, and I nod.

"Sorry. It just...came out of left field."

"I don't suppose that's what Eiki wanted from you," Kurama asks, and my face goes bright red.

"Y-yes."

"What did you say?!" Botan gushes. So much for giving me space.

"I told him I wasn't interested," I mumble, sighing. "I feel really bad, though. If this is what it feels like to reject someone, how does it feel to be rejected?" I stare, wide-eyed at Botan, looking for some kind of answer.

"I wouldn't know," she says. "I've never confessed to someone."

I shake my head, sighing. "This sucks. I never want to do that again."

"Oh, come on, Asaki. Let's get you something to eat and away from all these silly boys. That will make you feel better."

"Thanks, Botan," I mumble, letting her take my hand to drag me away.

Just before we're out of earshot, I hear Kuwabara say, "Who's Eiki?"

…

We meet up with Shizuru, Keiko, and Yukina when we get back to the hotel, and I offer to buy everyone something from the cafe downstairs, courtesy of my father. The place is bustling with snooty humans chatting about stupid things like who lost what money in the fights and which people have been ruined because of it. Nothing with any substance, which isn't unusual. Just irritating.

Botan insists I tell them all the details of Eiki's confession, so I do. When I'm done, Shizuru laughs.

"Wow, kid, that was really the first time you were confessed to?"

"Mm-hm," I say, playing with the straw in my drink.

"Cute as you are, that's hard to believe."

"It wouldn't be if you knew my father," I say. "Basically locked me up unless he needed me on display for one reason or another. He didn't really give me any freedom until he arranged my marriage."

"Wait, you're married?" Keiko gasps. Yukina looks at me with wide eyes, and I sigh.

"I had a fiance once," I say. "I broke off the engagement almost a year ago."

"Was he that bad?" Shizuru asks.

I shudder as Botan says, "From what she told us, he's the biggest dirtbag in the history of dirtbags."

"That's a kind way of putting it," I add. "Anyway, he's the last thing I want to think about right now."

"Fine by me," Shizuru says. "So, explain this to me. You're the same as that brown-haired girl who came to my place back when Yusuke was unconscious, right?" I nod, figuring there's no way I can hide it anymore. If they watched my first fight, they'd have known something was up. "How does that work?"

"Like this," I say, shifting into my human form.

"No way!" Keiko gasps, eyes wide. "How can you do that?"

"I'm half-demon and half-human," I explain. "I can shift between the two forms mostly at will."

"So, one of your parents was a human and the other was a demon, huh?" Shizuru says, taking a long drag from her cigarette.

"Yeah. We're actually pretty common, but most half-demons aren't so evenly split. They usually can only exhibit the traits of one or the other. I have the extreme misfortune of being exactly half of both."

"Why is that a bad thing?" Keiko asks.

"Because it made for a hellish childhood. Just imagine, in the midst of hundreds of demons, I suddenly turn human. If you haven't noticed, demons aren't very kind to outsiders. I made a lot of trouble for the people around me."

As if seeking to prove my very point, someone bumps the table we're at, nearly upending all of our drinks. I look up to see three sneering demons.

"Lookie here, Anzo," one of them says. "It's those humans with Urameshi."

"Ain't that one the half-breed?" another says.

"Yeah, she's that mutt what ruined that match the other day."

"How you plan on making it up to us?" the first one says, leering into my face.

"Get out of my face," I growl, getting to my feet.

"Hey, little half-bitch has spirit. I like to break little girls like you in half for breakfast." He towers over me, but I don't care.

Shifting into demon form, I send one solid, fiery punch to his stomach. It's enough to make him double-over, wincing as he sinks to his knees.

"You filthy mongrel!" one of the others shouts. He pulls back to hit me when his hand is caught.

"Now, now, mates. Ain't no sense startin' a fight with these lovely ladies, is there?" It's that drunk from Yusuke's fight earlier. He's with the small boy I'd seen my first night here, Jin, and Toya.

"Shit, it's Chu!" The three demons that had been picking on us run from the room.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," the little boy says. He turns to us, grinning. "That was a nice punch, lady."

I shrug, slipping back into human form. It's been so long since I've gotten to hang out like this, and I find I miss it. "I'm not a fan of thugs trying to start fights for no reason. Also, it's Asaki."

"Oh, I know your name," the kid says. "Your fights were so much fun to watch cuz you didn't even have to do anything. My name's Rinku!"

"I wouldn't say she didn't do anything," Toya says. "She just used her abilities to her advantage."

"That she did," Jin says. "And she didn't need any help from outsiders neither."

"How long are you going to keep on me about that?" the Ice Master asks. I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I'd actually been reaching for my braid, having forgotten it's not there. Toya eyes me, looking a little chagrined. "My teammate sacrificed his life to give me that advantage against Kurama. It would have been stupid not to take it."

"You don't have to justify yourself to me," I say, holding up my hands to stop him. "Your fight and Gama's was fair. Bakken was the one who was out of line."

Toya nods. "How is Kurama?"

"Fine. He and the rest of the team were scoping out the competition this morning."

"Team Uraotogi, right?" Rinku says, a yo-yo in his hand. He starts playing with it as he says, "They're pretty tough, but they're nothing compared to Team Toguro."

"I saw them callin' out on Yusuke this morning," Chu slurs, a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Where did that even come from.

"Quite a challenge, it was," Jin adds.

I look at Botan who nods. "It gave me chills. That team is serious business."

"As if the Toguro brothers aren't bad enough," Toya says, "they have that big one called Bui and the one with the long black hair called Karasu. They haven't fought yet, but they give me chills." Which means a lot coming from an ice demon.

"Eh, Urameshi'll slaughter 'em," Chu says. He puts a hand on the table, leaning over and giving us a smile. "So, any of you ladies wanna drink with me?"

"Pass," Keiko and Botan say at the same time.

"I'm a lightweight," I add, shaking my head.

"I will pass as well," Yukina says.

Shizuru seems to consider for a moment before shrugging. "Sorry. I wanna stay sober so I can cheer my idiot of a brother on."

"Which one's your brother?" Rinku asks.

"The one with the orange hair."

"No way, not him!" the boy cries. "He was so...annoying!"

Shizuru laughs. "You got him, kiddo. He's like that 24/7."

"Not 24/7," I say. "Maybe 23/7. He has his good moments."

"Right!" Botan agrees. "Like that match with Risho!"

"I don't know that that counts. I think that was kind of annoying."

"Anyway," Toya says. "We just came over to stop that fight. I don't know if brawling in this fancy place would have been a good idea."

"It might have been fun," I reply, smiling. "Thanks for the hand, though. I appreciate it."

"Hey, no problem, little lady," Chu says, slapping me on the back. "You're all right in my book, and I won't be lettin' 'em call you such foul things on my watch."

I feel a blush creep up to my cheeks, and I duck my head. "Thanks again."

"All right, lads!" Chu shouts. "Let's go find some fun elsewheres."

"It was nice to meet you!" Rinku cries, waving to us as the four leave.

Once they're gone, Keiko says, "Asaki, are you okay?"

"Fine," I reply, running a hand through my hair.

"What were those things they called you?" Shizuru asks. "Mutt and mongrel and half-breed?"

"Slurs for half-demons," I tell her. "They're really vulgar and looked down on in higher society, but that doesn't stop anyone." Shrugging, I say, "I've heard them so many times that they barely faze me anymore."

"That's rough," Shizuru says. "Maybe you do need a drink."

"I'm fine, really," I say, smiling. "Trust me when I say I can't hold my liquor." I get to my feet, stretching. "I'll go settle the bill and then maybe take a nap or something."

"Oh, okay," Botan says. "Well, you know which room is ours if you want any company."

"Of course." I make my way over the counter, paying the bill and then heading into the lobby. I spot Kurama and Hiei in the lobby, and I move to make my way over to them when I think of Hiei's words this morning. I know Kurama said he didn't mind me being around, but maybe I really am overdoing it.

I sigh, and he looks my way. When he sees me, he gives me a smile. I wave weakly in reply before turning and heading up to my room. As much as I want to spend more time with Kurama, I can't help but think of the look on Eiki's face when I told him I couldn't be with him. If I keep hanging around Kurama, will I eventually want to confess to him too? What if he does to me what I just did to Eiki? I don't know if I could handle it.

Do I really want to do this to myself, knowing hurt might be lying at the end of the road? I've made a lot of stupid decisions in my life. Is this just another on a long list, another thing I'll look back on a hundred years from now, cursing myself for being such a fool?

I make it to my room, flopping down on the bed and looking at the ceiling overhead. What had Hiei called me? A moony moron? Sounds about right.

* * *

A/N: This was a doozy of a chapter, and there was a lot of information given out here. I love Jin, Chu, Rinku, and Toya. They'll be back, I promise! I want more girl-talk, but Asaki's never had that luxury before, so she doesn't spend a lot of time on it. Eiki's confession makes me feel bad for him, but he'll be okay. His brothers will take care of him. Anyway, that's enough of my rambling. I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and thanks again to you guys who left reviews!


	24. Fix This, Moron

I almost don't get out of bed the next day, even knowing that if I don't, I'll be breaking my promise. I'd spent the entire night being plagued with nightmares of knives cutting into my flesh, cruel laughter, and the face of my ex-fiance. Oddly enough, the only other thing I can remember when I do finally wrench myself free of the awful dreams are the most beautiful and terrifying golden eyes I've ever seen.

Yoko Kurama hasn't featured himself in my dreams in a long time, and I find myself feeling sick. As much as I've come to terms with Shuichi/Kurama being his regular form now, and as close as I've become with him, I can't say it doesn't still scare me, knowing his true form. And, despite his assurances to the contrary, I still worry that maybe Yoko will return to finish me off the way I'd once so desperately craved.

I probably spend an hour in the bath, hoping to scrub my skin raw of my memories. Even when every inch of me is pink from scrubbing, it still doesn't cleanse my mind of the awful thoughts. Maybe nothing ever will.

Getting dressed slowly, I wonder how much of the matches will be over by the time I get there. It's this thought that finally gets me out of my room. By the time I get to the stadium, the sun is high in the sky, and I don't feel any better than I did when I woke up this morning.

Half of me wants to just go up into the stands and watch from up there, but the other half sees Kurama's bleeding body and forces me to make my way into the arena where Team Urameshi is sure to be.

No one stops me, which seems both par for this place and really sad. I make my way over to where Kurama and Kuwabara are standing, placing myself beside the latter, crossing my arms as I watch Hiei dice up his latest opponent.

"Oh, hey, Asaki," Kuwabara says to me.

"Hi. Where are Yusuke and the masked fighter?"

"Beats me," he grunts. "Leaving us like this."

I look up at the scoreboard, frowning. "Doesn't look like it matters all that much." A second win hits the board for Hiei, and I watch the short demon make his way over here. He scowls when he sees me. "Hello to you too," I say.

"Who let you down here?" he snaps.

"There's absolutely no one stopping anyone from coming in," I reply. "I don't think they expect anyone else to be as stupid as I am."

He grunts, standing beside me. I reach out a hand to touch his shoulder, and while he flinches, he doesn't move away. I give it a gentle squeeze, sending healing energy to him before letting go. I know him well enough to understand his pride won't allow for much more.

One of demons on the other team tosses yellow dice onto the ring, and I watch, confused, until they land. The words on the top read "Kurama" and "Ura Urashima."

"Is that seriously how you guys are doing this?" I ask, shaking my head.

"Hey, it's kinda fun this way," Kuwabara says. "You never know who goes next."

"Don't expect her to understand," Hiei retorts. "You saw how she fought."

"Could you be a little less annoying?" I ask, and Kuwabara snorts a laugh as Kurama steps into the ring. _Good luck_. The words get stuck in my throat, and all I can think of are piercing yellow eyes. _Dammit, what is wrong with me?_

The fight begins with Ura Urashima twirling the line of the fishing rod he holds over his head. Kurama pulls out his rose whip and follows suit. Soon, they've taken to swinging their weapons at each other, blocking blow for blow. It's a mesmerizing, perfect match of skill.

After a while of this, Kurama swings heavily, but just before his whip can hit his opponent, Urashima dodges, his fishing line tangling around Kurama. He pulls it taught, drawing blood from the fox demon before releasing him. Kurama gasps in pain, falling to his knees to the sound of Urashima's cackling.

"I studied your fighting and found your only weakness is your kindness!" Urashima jeers. "How did you put up with this goody two-shoes crap?" The smaller demon goes on the offensive, lashing out at Kurama with his line. Kurama makes it to the edge of the ring only to be stopped by….

"Fishing line?" I mumble. "A force field."

"No way," Kuwabara grunts as Urashima spouts some crap about how he's outwitted Kurama. Unless that boy has something else up his sleeve, I don't think he really stands a chance.

Although, the world seems to hate me today. Urashima pulls a box out of his bag, revealing it with flair. "Let me introduce you to the Idunn Box! Anyone other than the possessor who breathes its air will quickly revert to their younger days. The terrible twos! Or maybe even infancy! You'll see soon enough what I mean!"

He opens the box and smoke billows out, flowing across the ring. It stops at the force field, but it blocks our vision. I have a really bad feeling about this. Either Kurama's going to turn into a helpless child or….

"Why isn't that stuff coming any closer?" Kuwabara asks. "Is it scared?"

"Maybe you don't understand the concept of force fields," Hiei jabs.

I can feel Kurama's spirit energy fade fast, and pretty soon, it disappears altogether before suddenly growing to monstrous proportions. It's much more intense than before, and it sends shivers down my spine. No way.

Lightning sparks through the smoke, a jolt of it making Kuwabara jump back. "It's like a thunderstorm in there," he grunts. "Where's all that weird energy I'm feeling coming from?"

"Ha!" Hiei grins. "It's all Kurama, down to the last drop."

"But, it's different somehow," Kuwabara observes. "And a heck of a lot more powerful."

"It seems that fool he's been fighting has turned him back into his demon form. Before he was tainted by you humans. Fifteen years ago, the Spirit Fox, Yoko Kurama was thought to have been killed while escaping from a botched burglary. In desperation, he hid himself in your world, using a human body to hide in while he recovered his lost energy. He thought no one would find him. I did."

"Yoko," I whisper, my whole body shivering in terror. Silver hair. White fox ears and a tail. And those terrifying, merciless yellow eyes. I take a step back, unable to breathe as the demon energy swirls around me, settling on my skin like rainwater, cold and all-encompassing.

"Now," Hiei says, "we'll see what the purest form of Kurama can do."

His purest form. The legendary bandit, Yoko Kurama.

A voice escapes from the smoke, eliciting a squeak of pure terror from me. "Let's see. How best shall I deal with my prey?" It's low, husky, and deadly, bringing with it memories I once looked on with fury. Now, all I can feel is fear. I take another step back, trying to breathe.

 _Pull yourself together! It's just Kurama_. Or is it? Which one is the real Kurama? Is it this terrifying nightmare fox or the serious, red-haired young man who fights for his friends and his mother? I can't think. I can't think!

 _I'll have use for you in the future._

The smoke clears, and there stands Yoko Kurama. The sight of him is what finally does it. My mind goes completely blank, and I feel pricks, like the cut of knives dance across my skin. _Go away! Go away, please! Not again. I can't go back there. Please, don't hurt me anymore._

"Asaki? Asaki!" A hand falls on my shoulder, shaking me, and I look up into green eyes. Recoiling, I step back as quickly as I can, staring at a red-haired Kurama, hurt and bewilderment in his eyes. "Asaki, are you...all right?"

Without a word, I turn and run from the stadium. I don't make it far before another demon's power brings me to a halt. Even in my panic-stricken brain, I can tell this energy is different...it's...darker than anything I've felt before.

Footsteps move toward me, but I can't even run away, I'm so lost. It isn't until the demon stops before me that I register what I'm looking at. Long black hair, and a mask covering the lower part of his face. His eyes are cold, calculating. He's holding back his true power, but I can still feel energy rolling off of him in waves. It's making me nauseous and dizzy.

"You're that half-demon with Team Urameshi," he says, his voice soft, muffled by the mask he wears. He reaches a hand out toward me, but I instinctively step back. He chuckles. "Interesting. Even as frightened as you are, you still know to avoid my touch."

The demon steps back, saying, "I am Karasu. You should at least know the name of the one who will kill you soon. Until then, run along, little mouse. Don't let the fox catch you."

At his words, I turn and run the other way, back into the arena. As my feet touch the earth, I sink down against the wall, barely registering the sounds of battle around me as I begin to weep. How many times in one day must I endure this all-consuming fear? Is there no end to my nightmares? Maybe it's my fault for living this long. If I'd just found some way to end it, all those years ago, then I wouldn't be hurting right now.

"Hey, girl." Looking up through my tears, I find myself staring at the masked fighter. "Hold onto this for me." She passes me something golden and warm that I take, eyes wide. "Keep it safe."

I watch, confused, as she makes her way into the ring, ready to fight. A shiver trips down my spine, and I focus on the warm orb in my hands. It almost feels like holding a kitten or some other small animal. The longer I fix my gaze on it, the clearer my head grows until all I can feel is peace. Sweet, blissful peace. I can't even remember why I'd been so afraid before.

"Come on, girl," a voice says, making me look up. Before me stands an old woman wearing the same outfit the masked fighter had been what seemed like only moments before. "Show's over." She takes the orb from me. "Get up. Time to go sort you out. I swear, Koenma ought to pay me for everything I do for his kids."

I follow this old lady out of the stadium and into the woods. Just when I think to ask her where we're going, she stops, pointing to a rock. "Take a seat." I do as she says, and she stands in front of me, raising her hands to the side of my head. "I'm going to probe your memories a bit."

"What?" I pull back a little, but she holds my head in place.

"You'll instinctively block anything you don't want me to see, so don't worry. I just need to get a feel for whatever it is that has you overwhelming your brain. You can stop me at any point."

Looking into her brown eyes, I see wisdom and kindness, despite her gruff voice and manner. If she can help me, then maybe it's worth trusting her. After all, she's been with the Team from the start, even if she was wearing a mask. Although, I thought the masked fighter was a young girl. Maybe Shizuru was mistaken when she told me that.

"Who are you?" I ask, thinking I should know the name of the person who's going to be inside my head.

"Genkai. I'm Yusuke's teacher."

"Oh! He's told me about you," I say.

"Nothing good, I'm sure. Now shut up and relax a little." Her fingers press gently against my head, and suddenly, my vision grows fuzzy. I don't know how long she's in my head, but I do know when she's gone, her hands sliding away from my skull.

"Disgusting," she grunts, shaking her head. "If I ever get my hands on that piece of trash ex-fiance of yours, I'll wring his damn neck." I snort, surprising myself. Genkai offers me a small smile, sitting on the ground. I do the same, my head feeling a bit light.

"Tell me about him," she says. "Hide."

So, I do. Hide was an only child of a wealthy businessman. He caught my father's eye because of his ruthless dealings with literally everyone. Not exactly good criteria for a marriage, but I guess I was the only one who felt that way. In public, he was always the height of decorum and gentility, but the moment it was just the two of us alone, he took out his frustrations on me.

Genkai sighs. "It's a miracle you lasted through all of that."

I shrug. "I found a way."

Nodding, she says, "How does Kurama fit into all of this?" I look at her, eyes wide. "Don't worry," she barks. "I didn't see whatever it was you were trying to hide about him. However, I've been watching you closely this tournament. It's clear you care very deeply for him."

I wouldn't have told her anything if it hadn't been for the way she'd reacted to my words when Kurama had been fighting Toya. She hadn't treated me with disdain or sarcasm like Hiei. Her own words had been genuine, so I choose to make mine much the same now.

"So, his kindness drew you in," she says. "And you look to him for the strength and the courage to keep going."

I nod. "Maybe that's weak of me, but I can't really stand on my own two feet right now. He's…."

"A hand to hold onto."

"Yeah." I pull my knees to my chest, sighing.

"If that's the case, then why were you so afraid of him earlier today?"

"How do you-"

"I saw your memories," she grunts.

I rest my chin on my knees, sighing as I remember the hurt look on Kurama's face when I'd run from him in terror. "His demon form...just brings back all these bad memories. I got frightened that, if he was Yoko Kurama again, maybe I was still that same girl stuck in her father's home, like none of the past eight months even happened."

"Moron," she grunts, and I look at her, surprised. "He's always Yoko Kurama."

 _He's always Yoko Kurama_. I open my mouth to protest, to say he's just Kurama, but...she's right.

"Just because he's in a human body right now doesn't mean he isn't the same person as the demon form he once was. His experiences as a human may have changed his personality a bit, but he's still the same fox demon, regardless of what skin he wears. You of all people should understand that."

Wow, I'm stupid. She's so very right. How could I have let my mind, my heart, my memories cloud the issue so thoroughly? Even if he looks different, he's still the same person. "Dammit, I'm so stupid."

"It's all right, kid," Genkai says, patting my shoulder. I lift my head to say something, but she beats me to it. "I know you're a lot older than me, but you've still got the heart of a child." She gets to her feet, looking down at me. "If that demon is really that important to you, then you're going to have to fight to make things work out. That's part of being friends. It's not always hard, but when it is, you've got to stick it out. Some things are worth fighting for."

"You're right," I mumble.

"Of course I am," she barks. Her expression softens for a moment as she says, "You're as bad as the dimwit. You have so much power inside of you, locked behind walls of anger and self-loathing. I wish I had more time." She sighs. "Anyway, you'd better go find him before you lose your chance."

I get to my feet, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Genkai. I don't know how to repay you for your kindness."

"Just fix this, moron. If you waste this chance I've given you, I'll kick your ass."

"Yes, ma'am," I reply, smiling. It feels good to smile.

...

I don't have to look for long before I find exactly who I'm looking for. He's talking to Kuwabara and Hiei in the hotel lobby. The smile on his face makes my heart beat fast, and I almost give up altogether. _You've got to stick it out._ Right. No running this time.

His eyes meet mine, much like the night before. However, I've got a much clearer had now. I'm going to make it through this. I gesture for him to follow me, stepping outside into the gardens behind the hotel. After a few minutes, he joins me, and we stand in silence, looking out at the greenery.

After steeling myself with a deep breath, I turn to find him already looking at me. I almost lose my nerve, but there's nothing but concern in his green eyes. "I'm sorry," I whisper. That wasn't what I was planning on leading with, but it works. "I'm so sorry I ran away from you."

"I can guess why," he replies.

"Don't. Just...let me explain so I can do this right." He nods, and I continue. "I had this horrible dream last night about Hide, and it made me think of you...of Yoko. It had me all out of sorts this morning, and when you transformed, I lost my head. Suddenly, it was like all this time we've spent together didn't exist.

"All I could see was this ruthless demon who'd nearly killed me once. I was so afraid. Irrationally so. I did what I always do when I'm afraid…. I ran." I tug at the base of my braid, sighing. "Genkai helped me clear my head. She reminded me that you've always been Yoko. That even if you look a little different, you're still you. It's ironic that I needed that explained to me, considering I change forms all the time."

"Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I promise, I won't run away from you again. At least, not for that reason." I look out at the garden before us, asking, "So, how close was that to your guess?"

"Pretty close." He runs his fingers along a shrub at his side, and the leaves seem to yearn for his touch. I know how they feel. "I can't change our past, Asaki, regardless of how much I might wish it. All I can do is take part in shaping our future. To that end, how can I help you assuage your fears?"

I shake my head. "You don't have to do anything different, Kurama. Just keep being yourself. As long as I stay by your side, I'll get to know more about you and discover what I actually have to be afraid of." His eyes go wide, but I smile. "I'm teasing. You're a big scary fox demon. Only a moron wouldn't be a little afraid."

His hand moves from the bush to my hair, and I freeze as his deft fingers tuck something behind my ear. "I don't want you to be afraid of me, Asaki. I will never hurt you."

I reach up, my hand brushing against flower petals, and I find myself smiling like a dork. My heart is pounding so fast, and I curse myself for being so stupid. How could I possibly fear the one standing in front of me?

Looking to lighten the mood before I start crying again, I say, "You know, it's hardly fair that both your human and Yoko forms have better hair than I do."

He shakes his head. "I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh," I tease. "Play dumb all you want, but it's the truth."

"Asaki-"

"Yo, fox boy!" We turn to see Shizuru and the rest of the girls standing in the entryway to the garden. "Tell your girlfriend to get in here. She missed out on cards last night. Like hell is she skipping out today."

"Girlfriend?" My whole faces grows red at that word, as does Kurama's. "Who the hell are you calling his girlfriend?" I growl. "I wouldn't date this jerk if you paid me. No offense," I say to him.

"Not at all," he replies, looking the most discomposed I've seen him in a while.

"Sure, sure," Shizuru says. "Keep telling yourself that, kid."

"I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm several hundred years older than you," I say, walking toward her. "Oh!" I stop, turning back to face a bemused Kurama. "I ought to tell someone, I guess. I ran into one of the guys on Toguro's team when I tried to leave the stadium.

Kurama's face turns serious in an instant. "Which one?"

"Karasu, I think. The one with the long black hair. He didn't do anything to me, just introduced himself, but he gave off some really nasty energy. I know this goes without saying, but be careful, okay?" I leave out the part about him threatening my life. I don't want him to worry any more than he already must be.

He nods. "You as well."

With that, I run off after Shizuru, giving her a thoroughly teasing lecture about respecting her elders.

* * *

A/N: I spent a long time trying to think how this chapter would play out. Asaki has changed so much from the character I'd initially pictured, and so her motivations and fears had to change along with her. I'd always planned on having Genkai bring her back down to earth. That old lady is easily the most sensible character in the entire YYH universe, and I love her. Speaking of love, as I go back and read these chapters, I can see every time Kurama might have confessed to Asaki only to be interrupted or change his mind. It's torture! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose and AmericanNidiot for the reviews.

As for the guest reviewer's question, the answer to that sounds an awful lot like a spoiler :P

YYH is property of Yoshihiro Togashi. Huzzah.


	25. Lovely Poison

"All right, real talk," Shizuru says. We've been playing cards for the past hour, and I've successfully lost every single hand. It turns out that having never played before makes it hard to do anything other than lose miserably. My only consolation is that Yukina doesn't fare much better.

I toss my cards on the table, leaning back and sighing. "I'll do anything as long as it doesn't involve cards."

"What's going on between you and Kurama?"

"What?" My face goes bright red, and I sit up straight. "Nothing!"

"Sure doesn't look that way." She points to my hair, and I remember the flower Kurama had put there. I pull it out, sighing. Another red rose. My poor heart.

"Seriously," I say. "We're just friends."

"What are you going to do about that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I state, thoroughly confused.

"You're in love with him, right?"

My whole face goes as red as my hair. "H-how?" I sigh. "Is it really that obvious."

"Nah," Shizuru says. "Botan told us."

"Botan!"

"I'm sorry!" the blue-haired woman says. "They're very persuasive."

"I think it's sweet, Miss Asaki. Kurama seems like a nice boy." Yukina gives me the most innocent smile in the world, and I sigh. I guess there are worse people to know about this. Like Hiei. Or Kurama.

"He is," I reply. "But he's like that to everyone."

"That's very true," Botan says. "Although, he's never given me a rose."

"How much could they mean to him, though?" I ask. "He just pulls them out of his hair like it's no big deal."

"I wonder how he keeps them there," she ponders.

"We're getting way off topic here," Keiko says, laughing.

"What she said." Shizuru takes a swig of her beer, setting down her own cards. "You and that red head seem really close for the amount of time you've known each other."

"That depends on how you define 'known'. The first time I met him was about a hundred years ago," I tell them.

"That sounds like a story," Botan says, eyes wide.

"Not really. Besides, the last time I told you a story, you regretted it. Are you sure you want to hear another?"

"Oh, heavens, this one can't be as bad as the first," she gasps.

"Not quite, but you have to remember, human Kurama is only fifteen. He was a full-on demon before that."

"You mean like what he transformed into during his fight today?" Yukina asks.

"Exactly." While I'm not entirely opposed to telling them about it, I don't want them to worry. Besides, it's kind of nice to have a secret that only Kurama and I know.

"Fox boy definitely surprised us," Shizuru says. "So, what's your plan?"

"I didn't know what that meant the first time you asked, and I still don't," I tell her flatly.

"How are you going to woo the guy?" She says it so matter-of-factly that I almost don't catch her meaning. When it sinks in, I swallow hard.

"I'm not."

"Explain."

"I mean it. I don't plan to try to win him over or tell him how I feel. I'm happy just being friends."

"Wrong answer, kiddo." Shizuru leans over the table at me, setting down her beer. "You two have way too much chemistry to just be friends. If you think I'm gonna sit back and watch you waste it, you're crazy."

I open my mouth to say something when Keiko puts her hand on my arm. "Don't bother. She's been meddling with me and Yusuke for as long as we've known her. It's a lost cause trying to stop her."

"Great," I say, flopping back onto the carpet.

"You'll thank me later," Shizuru says.

"If you say so."  
…

I head into the arena the next morning, looking for Kurama, only to stumble upon two demons I really don't want to see: Karasu and a huge demon someone told me was named Bui. They stop when they see me, and Karasu smiles.

"Hello again, little mouse," Karasu purrs. I cross my arms despite the fear flowing through my veins like my own blood. These are not demons I really want to be messing with, but I can't afford to back down. So much for Kurama's warning about being careful. I'm glad I came alone, at least. This way, only I'm in danger.

Karasu smiles. "I can practically taste your fear." He reaches out a hand toward me, and I take a step back, eyes narrowed. Karasu laughs, the sound grating in my ears. "I've heard you can't feel pain. Shall we test that?"

"Be my guest," I growl. If nothing else, at least I won't be able to feel whatever it is they try to do to me, even if it does kill me.

Bui manifests his axe, sending it ramming down into my shoulder. It sinks about an inch in, blood spurting from my arm, my shirt sleeve tearing, but that's it. I shrug it off, healing the wound. The massive demon swings at my side, but the effect is the same: lots of blood, a tear in my clothes, but that's it.

"That looks like fun," Karasu says. "Permit me to try." He lifts a hand, flicking his wrist gently. Something explodes in my face, but it's not enough to even scratch me. He flicks a few more invisible explosives at me, all to no avail. My healing power is working overtime, and I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep it up. Soon, the wounds will be showing.

"How about this," the black-haired demon says. He snaps his fingers, and the air around him grows a little hazy. "One of my favorite tricks." I narrow my eyes just as an explosion hits my right leg.

The world goes blurry, and I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. For the first time in over a hundred years, I can feel pain, but somehow, I know I've never experienced anything as bad as this. I collapse to the ground, looking at the bloody remains of the side of my leg. Tears stream from my eyes, and there's a ringing in my ears, but all I can feel is pain.

"That was more entertaining than expected." Karasu's voice is barely audible over the ringing as he laughs. "Allow me to thank you for that." He blows a hole in the wall behind me, kicking me into it. The moment my leg moves, the world goes blurry again as a fresh wave of pain races through me. I can't breathe.

Karasu snaps his fingers, and a sheer curtain falls over the hole as Kurama comes into view. My heart beats fast, and I wish I could call out to him, but I can't make a sound, the pain is so intense.

"You're the only one who watched." Karasu's voice makes me shudder, and I grab my leg, above the wound, trying to heal it. It isn't working. Why won't my healing power work?! "Your team must be very confident."

"Either that or in denial." Kurama's voice is calm, steady. I wish I had a tenth of his composure.

"Yes, accepting the truth would be easier. The finals will come, and the four of you will die."

"Just four?"

"Yes. One of you dies today."

Bui strikes the wall with his fist, drawing Kurama's attention as Karasu moves to stand behind him. I can see the tiniest trace of confusion on the fox demon's normally placid face, as Karasu's fingers slide around his neck. I want to scream, to burn, to do something, but all I can do is sit in agony, watching as Kurama gasps, terror finally evident on his face.

Karasu runs his fingers through part of Kurama's hair. "Your hair is a bit...damaged, Kurama. Human bodies are so frail. I know you fear what my touch can do to you. And yet...maybe you also want to know it." My whole body is crawling at his words, and I feel sick.

"Get away!" Kurama cries, swinging at Karasu who dodges neatly, landing beside Bui once more.

"No need to get upset," Karasu purrs. "It's just a game." And it must be to him. So confident. So sure of victory. Maybe the bastard thinks this is fun. I gasp as a fresh wave of pain races through me, wishing I could scream. Even if I could find my voice, I think I'd be too afraid.

"As a fighter, I like you best Kurama," Karasu says. "And when I like something, I like to take it away. It gives me a certain feeling, like pondering unanswerable questions. You don't reach the result you want, and you're swept with an empty despair that makes you feel alive. Save your fight for me, okay?" Karasu looks over at where I'm hidden, snapping his fingers.

The curtain falls away from me, and Kurama's eyes go wide. "Asaki!"

I can't stop shaking, the tears streaming down my face. _Kurama. Kurama, no. Please, don't fight him. You can't. I don't want him to hurt you. I don't want to lose you._

He kneels down beside me, his hand on my shoulder, eyes deadly serious. "What happened, Asaki?" I shake my head, unable to speak for the pain. "Who did this to you?"

"K-kurama," I whisper, my voice strained. "I c-can't…." A fresh wave of pain hits me, and I gasp, grabbing at my leg.

"Don't strain yourself," he says. "Can you stand?" I reach a hand out to him, and he takes it, slowly helping me up. I make the mistake of putting weight on my right foot, and I scream, collapsing against him.

"Asaki!" he gasps, catching me.

I look up into his surprised eyes, as I whisper, "It hurts," before the world goes dark.

...

Everything slowly comes into focus, and I look around, the room slowly coming into focus. This is where Keiko and the other girls are staying. I move to push myself upright, gasping at the sudden pain racing through me. That's when I remember Karasu's attack. What the hell did he do to me?

Looking down at my leg, I see it's been bandaged, but they probably need to be changed. My eyes sweep the room, but there are no people or bandages in sight. What I do find is a note on the table. I pick it up, wondering whose incredibly neat handwriting is telling me not to leave the hotel room. There's no signature on the bottom, so I don't even know whose orders I'll be defying when I do leave.

I move deliberately, swinging my left leg first and then using my hands to gingerly move my right. At the moment, all I can feel is a dull ache. When I try to stand, touching my right foot to the ground, I collapse immediately, crying out. It's nowhere near as painful as earlier, but it still hurts more than can handle.

Pushing myself up, I hop on one foot to the door, wincing with each movement. This isn't going to work. Holding out my hand, I burn the leg off of a stool in the corner, using it as the world's shortest and stupidest walking stick. This will have to work for now.

Limping out of the room, I try to send healing energy into my leg until it nearly makes me sick from effort to no avail. I don't know what the hell Karasu did to me, but it sucks. Making my way into the lobby, I look around, trying to find someone who can tell me where Kurama went. I'm worried about him after all of that mess with Karasu.

When I step outside of the hotel, I cast around, eventually finding his spirit energy. "Why does he have to be so far away?" I mutter, limping off into the forest. I stumble a lot at first, and the overwhelming pain is enough to make me slow my pace, carefully picking my way along the trail until I have to go into the thick of the trees.

I don't know how long I've been at it when I suddenly feel a shift in the air. Something isn't right.

A huge energy surge knocks me off my feet, and I land, biting my tongue to prevent from screaming, on my injured leg. _What the hell_? I've never felt anything so awful in my life. I push myself into a sitting position, wincing at the dirt mixed with blood on my bandage. Whoever put this on is going to kill me.

Taking a deep breath, I crawl over to a tree, starting to pull myself upright when I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. Someone's energy just...disappeared. _One of you dies today_. I know that energy well. It was probing inside my head just yesterday.

"Genkai," I whisper. No. She can't be gone. She...she _can't be dead_. Tears stream down my face even as my skin starts to burn. I barely got to know her, and already she's gone? And she knew she would be. She'd even told me, she wished she had more time. Why didn't I think about it? I was so wrapped up in myself that I didn't question it, just thought she meant her hands were full right now.

"What the hell is wrong with me?!" I scream, fire pouring from my skin, engulfing me and everything around me. Flames are so easy. They don't judge or ask for anything. It would be so easy to just let them consume me, to become one with them. At least then, the hurt would stop.

"Asaki!" A shout brings me back to earth, and I look up to see Kurama trying to make his way to me despite the conflagration around us. Seeing him, suddenly, the world snaps into focus, and I pull all of the flames inside me in an instant.

I fall to the ground, landing hard, my tears sizzling against my still-hot skin. Kurama runs over to me, reaching out his hand. "I'm burning," I whisper, and he hesitates for a second before grabbing my hand. He winces, and I force the fires inside me down so that I don't burn him any more than I already have.

"Sh-she's gone," I whimper, and his green eyes look into mine, telling me all I need to know. "I can't...I can't believe she's gone."

He squeezes my hand, his own sadness hitting me like a wave. "There was nothing we could have done," he says.

"I know...she knew this was the end, but…." I punch the ground with one fist, staring at the ashes around me, confused for an instant.

"Geez, Kurama, you run too fast." Kuwabara comes toward us, panting. "What happened here? Oh, hi Asaki." I stare up at him, still uncertain of what I'm seeing. "Did you do this?"

"Oh." Looking around, I see this entire swathe of forest is nothing but ash. "Oh, no." I cover my mouth with my hand, fire pooling in my stomach yet again. I lost control.

"It's fine," Kurama says, pressing a hand flat against the ground. Grass starts to grow around us, poking through the ashes. He focuses intently, and after a moment or two, trees sprout as well. "Ash is actually good fertilizer in small amounts."

I stare at him, the fire disappearing again as I let out a strangled laugh. "K-kurama." He squeezes my hand once more before letting it go.

"We should get back to the hotel so I can treat your leg again." He comes around to my left side, saying, "Brace yourself." He scoops me into his arms, and I bite back a scream as my right leg gets jostled. "Sorry," he breathes.

"Mm-mm," I mumble, grabbing the front of his shirt tightly to ride out the pain.

"What happened to you?" Kuwabara asks.

"Long story." It takes all of my concentration to avoid screaming. I don't have any left to spare on talking. We start walking, and I rest my head against Kurama's chest, listening to his heartbeat as I try to breathe. Pain, inside and out, clouds my mind. It's getting hard to stay conscious, but I can't run away from it. Passing out feels like taking the easy way out. Not this time.

"Your hair isn't prettier than mine," I mumble to Kurama as we walk, wondering if he'll understand my meaning. I owe him so much. The least I can do is let him know I appreciate it, even if I can't say so in as many words.

"I'm glad," he says, offering me a strained smile. My heart skips a beat. It's strange to me that it can still beat like that after today.

As we approach the hotel, Kurama sets me gently down, making me a crutch out of a tree limb. Hobbling the best I can, we make our way inside, with Kuwabara saying he's going to keep looking for Yusuke. I can't imagine what pain Genkai's student must be feeling right now.

"Let's go to your room," Kurama says. "That way, you can get some rest in your own bed."

I nod. I think if he asked me to jump off the roof, I would at this point. We make it to my room, and I sink down on the bed, scooting back as far as I can, grimacing with each jolt of my leg.

"I didn't really expect you to listen to my note," Kurama says, sighing as he looks down at me.

"Sorry," I mumble.

"Wait here for me, so I can get first aid things from my room, all right?"

"Yeah," I reply. He leaves the room, and I'm all alone again. A shiver trips down my spine, bile rising in my throat. I can't handle this. I don't want to be alone. Tears prick at my eyes, and I wipe them away roughly, grabbing Shiro from under the blankets.

He looks up at me with glassy eyes, and I squeeze him tightly. Fire isn't the only thing that's never judged me. Shiro has seen me at my lowest points, and he's helped me through them when nothing else could.

The door clicks, and I look up from my stuffed fox to find my real one, a roll of bandages and a little first aid kit in his hands. He sees Shiro in my arms and raises any eyebrow at me.

"Shiro," I say, holding the stuffed toy out to him. Setting his things down, he takes Shiro, looking at him for a moment.

"Shiro the red fox?"

"Bite me," I snap, not really meaning any harm. "I've had him since I was very young. Little me didn't really think too hard about much."

"He's very well-made to have lasted so long," Kurama says, setting the toy down beside me. I reach for Shiro again, stopping short. Maybe I'm too old for a stuffed fox...especially when there's a real one right here.

"Sorry," I mumble.

"What for?" he asks, pulling up a seat in front of me.

"If I hadn't gone looking for you, I wouldn't have messed up my leg this much." My little fire incident had burnt off the bandages, and there's dirt and ash mixed with the rest of the wound.

"Why did you?" he asks.

"I was worried about you."

He shakes his head. "You got your leg mangled by a monster, and you're worried about me?"

"Yes," I state.

"You're unbelievable," he says, smiling softly. "Do you mind my asking what did happen? I've been assuming, but I'd like the details so I can accurately assess the damage done to you."

"I was walking into the arena to find you, which I guess I just shouldn't do anymore, since it gets me into so much trouble." Kurama wanders around my room, grabbing a few things, presumably to take care of my leg, and I continue. "Anyway, I came across Karasu and Bui. They wanted to test my pain tolerance, apparently, and I figured I'd be fine, considering I can't feel pain. Besides, it's not like running would have done me any good either."

Kurama settles down in front of me, gently taking my leg in his hands. He slides off my shoe, his hands incredibly gentle as he rests my foot on his own leg. As much as the movement hurts, my brain is going crazy with the idea that Kurama is touching me. I might explode from the sheer number of feelings racing through me.

"S-so, Bui took some swings at me, and then Karasu sent out some kind of explosives. I didn't feel it until he sent one after my leg." I gasp as a wet cloth touches my wound, gripping the bed sheets on either side of me. "I-I don't know why, but it hurt so badly I couldn't even scream. He pushed me into a hole he blew in the wall, and made me watch him talk to you."

"And you can't heal it like you usually do, correct?" he asks, his voice completely calm as he brushes away the mess that's gotten into my wound.

"R-right," I say through gritted teeth. "I kept trying, but nothing works."

"It's poison."

"Poison?"

"I take it you're not in the habit of poisoning yourself?" I shake my head, confused. "Your body has numbed itself to external pain, not to toxins entering the body from other sources. That's why it hurts. The kind of poison Karasu used also inhibits human energy. Apparently, your healing powers come from the human side of you. I don't imagine you can transform right now, am I right?"

I close my eyes, trying to change, but nothing happens. "Yeah, you're right," I say, sucking in a sharp breath as Kurama swipes once more at my leg.

"Sorry," he says. "It's going to sting for a while, but I promise this is going to help. You'll have to heal like the rest of us, but when you wake up tomorrow, you should be back to normal, more or less."

"That's crazy," I say, holding my leg at my knee in an attempt to stop the pain. It doesn't help. "I spent so long trying to find a way to kill myself. I bet poison would have worked." His grip on my leg tightens, and I gasp. "Kurama!"

"Asaki, I didn't tell you that to give you ideas."

"I'm well aware," I growl, locking eyes with him. "Look, I may be pathetic, but I actually kind of like my life right now. I have no intention of ending it, okay?"

His grip slackens, and he sighs. "You're not pathetic."

"I am the definition of, thanks. Seriously, I can't control my own fire, I lose my head over the stupidest things, and I like to pretend I came out of all of my past unscathed, but it...haunts me. I get so scared, and sometimes I can't sleep for fear I'll have those awful dreams. One of these days, I may end up pushing everyone I care for away if I can't get ahold of myself. I'm so afraid that's going to happen. In the end, maybe the only one left will be Shiro." I hug my stuffed fox close to my chest, breathing in its familiar scent.

"I know you're hurting, Asaki. And I know I can only do so much to help, but you need only ask, and I'll be there for you. Not just me. You've made some rather stubborn friends, in case you haven't noticed. They won't give up on you easily. So, don't give up on yourself either."

Looking into his green eyes, I sigh. "I can't win against you, can I?"

"Do you really want to, right now?"

I shake my head. "I'd much rather believe you're right as usual." I toss Shiro across the room, nearly knocking over the vase sitting at my table. "Oops."

"Are those roses I've given you?" he asks, looking at the flowers in the vase.

"Yeah. One is from last night, and the other is from before I left for my father's. I don't know why, but it hasn't even begun to wilt. I have another at home too."

He looks at them for a long time, and I wonder what he's thinking. When he turns back to me, however, his face is inscrutable. "This is going to hurt," he tells me. "I'm sorry."

"Time for me to scream like a sissy," I mumble as he swipes something that burns like crazy across the wound. I bite my tongue so hard I think it might be bleeding.

"All right. That's the last of that." I let out a breath, shaking a little from the effort. "Drink this." He hands me a medicine cup-sized glass, and I look at it, eyeing the strange fluid inside. "It'll counteract the poison," he tells me.

I tip it back, wincing. "Gross."

"But effective. And this ought to help you when you sleep tonight." With one hand holding my calf, he uses the other to slather some kind of poultice on the exposed skin. His hand is warm, and I have to bite back an entirely different sound as warmth pools in my center at his touch. I don't know this feeling, but it's dizzying.

His eyes meet mine, and both of our faces flush as he pulls his hands away. "Almost finished." His voice sounds a little strained as he speaks, and I feel my heart beat faster. What is happening to me?

The final step is a bandage he wraps around my wound with as little touching as possible. "There," he says. "You'll be good for the night. Tomorrow, your own powers should be able to do the rest."

"That's a relief," I mumble, looking down at how neatly he's wrapped me up. He must have done it the first time as well. "Kurama, do you think the girls will let me stay in their room tonight?"

"I'm sure they would," he replies, sounding confused.

"I...I don't want to be alone right now."

He sighs, getting to his feet. "I don't blame you. Come on. Let's get your things and we'll head over to ask them."

I take the hand he offers, but when he tries to let go, I squeeze it tightly. "Don't do it," I mumble.

"Asaki?"

"Don't fight tomorrow." Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I look up at him. "I'm scared he's going to take you from me."

Kurama pulls me toward him suddenly, resting his head on top of mine. Our only points of contact are the hand I'm still holding and where our heads meet, but it feels like he's all around me, holding me close. We don't say anything, just stand there in the silence, listening to one another breathing.

"Sorry," I say, moving first, stepping away from him. "I know you don't have a choice. Just...kick his ass, okay?"

Kurama nods, his expression serious, his deep green eyes pulling me in. I could get lost in them and that would be fine. Instead, I walk slowly around the room, gingerly putting as little weight on my injured leg as possible as I gather the bare essentials. I won't be coming back to this room until it's all over. But, I will come back. I have faith in the friends I hold so very dear. They'll bring us through this, and then we'll all go home together.

This isn't the end.

* * *

A/N: Where do I even begin with this chapter? So many feels, all over the place. It was so hard/fun to write. Asaki's heart is slowly starting to open up, and I'm so happy for her, even if she doesn't realize it fully herself. I've always thought of Karasu as a fantastically creepy villain, and man do I hate writing him. Stick with me for the next chapter full of his creepiness! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose, AmericanNidiot, and nikaunni for the reviews! I'm always happy to read them, even if they're just a word or two. Thanks for brightening my day ^_^

YYH is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi and such.


	26. Karasu

I stick with the girls today instead of heading to the arena with the guys. I'm so scared I can barely move, but at least my leg doesn't hurt anymore. When I woke up this morning, I took the bandage off to find it mostly healed, although there's a distinct chance it might scar. I'm still limping a bit because it's really stiff, but other than that, it's fine. I won't bleed to death on my way to the ring, at least.

"Why aren't you with the guys today?" Keiko asks as we make our way to the stadium, her voice a little shaky.

"Yes, I can't imagine they'll need your healing powers any less today than they did before," Botan adds.

"I'm sure I'll go down there eventually," I say, my hands folded tightly. "But I have a feeling I know who's going to fight first, and...I didn't want to watch up close." The fear from last night hasn't abated. It's as strong as ever, but I'm keeping it in check.

"Hey," Shizuru says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "He'll be okay."

"I know that," I tell her, taking a slow, deep breath. "They all will be. It's just...you've seen the way Kurama fights. He's not coming out of this unscathed, and I…." I swallow hard. "I'll be there when it's over, but I can only bear so much of watching the people I love suffer."

"I know what you mean," she says, lighting a cigarette. "I'm so worried my baby brother is going to do something stupid again."

"No way," I say. "Not with Yukina watching, he won't." I give the ice apparition the best smile I can muster, and she gives me an equally shaky one in return.

"They'll be okay," she says.

"Right. And then Yusuke will kill the big Toguro brother, and everything will be all right!" Botan cheers. She looks the worst of all of us, and I wonder what's going on in her head. When we finally arrive, Botan gasps. "I'm sorry girls. I was so preoccupied when I spoke with Koenma this morning that I totally forgot to ask him about tickets. I'm afraid we won't be able to watch the finals."

If they weren't all non-combatants, I'd just take them in the way I came the other day, but it's way too dangerous to be down by the ring, even if they could fight.

"Well, you know what they say," Shizuru says, cracking her knuckles. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"You're not going to charge the bouncer again, are you?" Keiko asks.

"Unless you have a better idea."

"Attack is really our only option," Yukina says.

"Well, Yukina. You're just full of surprises." Botan smiles for the first time today, and it makes me want to give the little ice demon a hug for bringing that about.

A lizard demon swaggers his way over to us, and Botan frowns. " I know you. You're that sleazy scalper who tried to con Koenma into buying those fourth-rate tickets," she says.

The demon laughs. "How nice of you to remember me. I'm touched. Now, I couldn't help but notice you ladies are in need of a hand."

"We sure as hell don't need one of yours," Shizuru grunts.

"Ah, my mistake. Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I sold these elsewhere." The demon pulls five tickets out of his jacket, holding them out in front of us.

"Are those what I think they are?" Keiko asks.

"Yes indeedy," the lizard says. "Five of the best seats in the house. And I just might part with them for, say, 5,000 clams apiece." As he says that, Shizuru swipes them out of his hand.

"Wow, guys, I'm so dumb. Can you believe our tickets were in my hand the whole time?"

"Hey!" the scalper shouts at her. "You'd better give those back!"

"I guess I could be wrong," Shizuru says, holding them behind her back. "But these look an awful lot like our tickets. Thanks for holding them for us, though." She smiles as we show him the tickets again. Botan had quickly written our names on them, and I have to suppress a laugh at Shizuru's cunning.

"Why's everyone just standing around?" Keiko asks

"I suppose we'll know soon enough," Botan replies.

I watch, confused as Sakyo makes his way to Team Toguro. "Sakyo doesn't fight."

"Do you know him, Asaki?" Keiko asks.

"Yeah. He's an old gambling buddy of my father's and the owner of Team Toguro. But he's not a fighter."

"Huh. Hey, Shizuru?" The older girl doesn't respond. "Earth to Shizuru!"

"Hm?" she says at last, looking down at Keiko.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she replies. "Just a little dizzy."

"Let's go find our seats," I say, following behind to make sure Shizuru doesn't fall. If she's already not feeling well, how is she going to make it through these fights? As we settle in, smoke covers Team Urameshi's side of the field. _What the?_

"Who's that?" I ask, frowning as a teenage boy with brown hair steps into the arena.

"Koenma," Botan replies. "This must be what he meant when he'd told me he had business to attend to."

"Wait, the little guy? How did that happen?"

"A little Spirit World magic," she tells me.

"And I thought my transformations were weird." I sigh, looking at Shizuru. She's a bit green. "Do you need some water, Shizuru?" She shakes her head, and I sit back, wondering what's really wrong. I don't think she's telling us the whole truth.

"Wait a second!" There's a new ref down on the field, and I wonder why Koto got booted. This new girl has fishy ears, a long tail, and an even more annoying voice than the first one. "You can't just switch. The rules say you can only substitute when another fighter is dead."

That's right. That's exactly right, and it makes my heart ache a little. Genkai…. That's when it occurs to me: Botan's a ferryman to the afterlife. What if the reason she's so upset it because she had to take Genkai to Spirit World?

Sakyo dispels any problems with Koenma fighting with just a few words, and Koto, apparently emceeing now, announces the start of the final round.

As predicted, Karasu steps into the ring first, with Kurama following suit, ready to fight him. I hope. Shizuru pats my shoulder, giving me a serious look. "It'll be all right."

"Damn straight," I manage, breathing deeply. _You can do this_.

The whole crowd is screaming for Kurama's death, and I swallow hard. It didn't frighten me before, their bloodlust, but right now, I think I may be sick.

"From the sound of things," Koto announces, "it seems like everyone in the stadium is a big fan of the tall, dark, and gruesome Karasu."

"What did you just say!" Keiko shouts, getting to her feet. "You couldn't pay me to root for that vampire wannabe weirdo!"

I think I could marry Keiko and live happily. That was the best speech I've ever heard, and it makes me laugh.

"I don't know," Shizuru says. "He's got great hair."

"Kurama's is better," I reply, smiling.

"You would know."

"Once again, damn straight." That's when I notice someone sitting to my right.

"Don't forget to do your stretches, Koenma, sir!" the blue ogre cries. He turns to us, hefting a blue spiky club. "This was supposed to be Koenma's, but I guess I'll jsut use it to scare people." He starts cheering Kurama's name, and we all join suit, suddenly the bloodthirsty ones, calling for Karasu's death.

Yusuke shoots us a look, but I'm too busy laughing to care. These girls are all crazy, surrounded by demons that could likely tear their heads off, but they don't care. I can't imagine a group of people I'd be happier with right now.

The girls start chatting, but all I can focus on are the fighters down below. Karasu says something to Kurama and then proceeds to point at me. I can only assume he's taunting Kurama, so I immediately take my right leg and step on the shoulder of the demon in front of me, shouting, "Try harder next time!" Everyone stares at me like I'm crazy, but I don't care. "You don't scare me!" Which is a ginormous lie, but no one needs to know that.

The demon in front of me turns to complain about my foot on his shoulder, but when I glare at him, fire in my hands, he changes his mind and just moves to another seat.

"What was that about?" Keiko asks.

"I'm not about to let that asshole mess with Kurama's head," I reply, crossing my arms and stretching out my legs. I'd already told the girls about what Karasu did to my leg, so they know why I'm so angry. Maybe if I focus on that, I can stave off the fear a little longer.

The fight begins down below with Kurama kicking up a storm of rose petals. It's beautiful, but I'm certain it's also deadly. I wonder if Kurama would ever let me spar with him one day. I'm curious about whether his plants can beat my fire.

Karasu steps forward, ignoring the flowers around him. Suddenly, small explosions ignite the rose petals, turning them to nothing but ash. My leg twinges in sympathy, and I hit my knee with my fist, silently telling it to shut up.

The black-haired demon goes on the offensive, trying to get his hands on Kurama, but the fox just manages to dodge each swipe. Kurama launches a lash of his rose whip, but Karasu manages to explode it before he's even in any hint of danger. He says something to Kurama that I'm actually really glad I can't hear.

Karasu attacks again, swiping with his razor-sharp fingernails. Kurama goes back to dodging, but I know this can't last. Something's going to have to give. Or someone. Karasu leaps into the air, hitting the ground where Kurama had been only seconds before and putting a hole in the ring.

There's an explosion, and blood pours from Kurama's arm. I grit my teeth, tugging at my braid hard.

"He didn't land a hit!" Keiko says. "What happened?"

"Karasu's got some kind of invisible explosives," I say. "They must be made of his energy and rest at a frequency it's incredibly hard to see with the naked eye."

"How is that possible?" Botan asks.

"Beats me," I grunt as Kurama makes another move that sets off an explosion on his leg. It's getting harder and harder to watch. Suddenly, the ring glows green with the energy pooling in Karasu's hand. When the light fades, a visible bomb is left in its place. The black-haired demon throws the bomb at Kurama who braces himself for the hit.

"Kurama!" I shout, getting to my feet as it explodes. _What just happened?_ I close my eyes, calming my racing heart as I search for the red-haired demon's spirit energy. What I sense instead brings an enormous sense of relief. "Yoko," I breathe, as the smoke clears to reveal the most beautiful thing I've seen so far today.

"You go, King of Thieves!" the blue ogre cries. "You're my man!"

"Yoko!" I cheer, suddenly excited. The fear from the last time I saw him is nowhere to be found, instead replaced with a strange elation. I've never seen Yoko fight before, and I'm looking forward to what he can do to Karasu.

 _White fox or red-haired human/demon, regardless of what he looks like, he's still Kurama._

I feel, rather than hear Yoko Kurama's voice as he says something to Karasu, and chills race up my spine. Things are going to get interesting.

Karasu summons more invisible bombs that the white fox easily dispatches with his signature roses. Yoko easily dodges more explosives that we can't see, finally landing on the ground, his golden eyes glinting in the light from the stadium. He puts off a massive amount of energy that creates a whirlwind of white and sets off explosions all around him: more of Karasu's bombs.

When the smoke fades, a massive plant, clearly grown with tremendous amounts of demonic energy, is revealed with Yoko at its base. The plant has many limbs, and they squirm in anticipation of what's to come next, the leaves on the ends of each resembling mouths. It's simultaneously gorgeous and terrifying.

I never thought of myself as much of a sadist, but I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. Yoko's power is immense and terrifying, but even now, I'm not scared. Just irrationally excited.

The plant starts going after Karasu, and it's a huge relief to finally see the tables have turned. I wonder how long the other demon can avoid the killer plants. Hopefully not very.

Yoko isn't even remotely worried as the monstrous tendrils chase his opponent. They attack with such force that they gouge chunks out of the ring. What will they do when they catch Karasu? His explosives seem to only make the plant hungrier, and its attacks grow more vicious.

I suppress a cheer when Karasu is finally caught by a humongous set of leaves and lifted into the air. More and more of the hungry-mouthed tendrils meet him, engulfing the vile demon and leaving the audience speechless. It's absolutely beautiful.

The fishy ref calls for Team Urameshi's victory, but as Yoko makes his way toward the edge of the ring, suddenly, the mass of plants explodes, revealing a maskless Karasu. The demon says something to Yoko before focusing, his energy increasing by the second as his hair changes from black to blonde.

"What's happening?" Botan asks.

"He's internalizing his power," I grunt. "In essence, he's turning himself into a bomb."

"Why would he do that?" she cries.

"I don't know, but this isn't going to be good." I stand, surrounding the girls in a field of my own energy, uncertain about what's going to happen next.

Karasu leaps into the air, gathering more and more energy before literally dive-bombing the spirit fox. The resulting explosion is so intense it decimates a large portion of the stadium, killing countless spectating demons and leaving the arena a smoky mess. _Please, please, please_ , I beg. _Please be okay_.

The smoke clears, and I spot Karasu standing in the ring, laughing. After a moment, Kurama appears from beneath a pile of rubble, back in his human form. That doesn't seem like a good thing. The red-haired demon leaps back into the ring, proceeding to launch a series of...regular attacks. I didn't even know he knew basic martial arts, and I'm mesmerized despite the fear that's washing over me once again.

Kurama manages to dodge one of the invisible explosives, surprising Karasu and managing to hit him with...something. The blonde demon pulls something from his chest, flicking it away with a derisive laugh that sends chills down my spine.

A strange trap springs up from the ground, holding Kurama's leg in place as the first bomb I've been able to see explodes against him. Kurama's cry of pain hits my ears, and I find myself on my feet once again, heart in my throat as he falls to the ground.

Slowly, he pushes himself to his feet, and I press a hand against my mouth, tears in my eyes. Yusuke's shout reaches us all the way up here as he cries, "Don't move another inch, Kurama! You're surrounded by bombs."

I can see them. Little green points of energy float in the air, surrounding the fox demon on every side. This is quickly going from bad to worse. Why did I think to watch from up here? I want to be down there, at his side, but I'm so frightened I can't even move.

Explosion after explosion hits the exhausted demon, and his cries make me gasp as though his hurts are my own. "Kurama," I whisper, tears in my eyes as he falls to his knees.

"I can't watch him suffer like this," Keiko gasps.

"Karasu is such a bastard," Shizuru grunts. "He's clearly playing with him now. I wish he would just get this over with."

"I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again!" Botan snaps. "Kurama can't die! I've lost one person I love to Toguro's team. I won't lose another."

"Dammit, Kurama!" I growl, my voice choked with tears. "You promised!" I shout as loudly as I can, fire sparking around me. "You...you promised."

Kurama staggers to his feet again, and all I can think is he must have a plan. He has to. But...what can he do? The bombs hit him once more, and I fall to my knees as he cries out, his body covered in blood, being torn to pieces. He collapses on the ground, and I gasp as sobs rack my body. _No. No. Kurama, you can't._

As the ref starts her ten count, I get to my feet, stumbling past the girls, practically dragging my stiff leg in my haste as Kurama forces himself up once more. Karasu raises his hands to attack his mortally wounded opponent, but before he can do anything, a sudden wave of demonic energy erupts from Kurama. But how? He can't access that power in his human form.

That's when I realize...he's using his life energy. With his last breath, he summons a demonic plant that flows from where he crouches, piercing Karasu through the heart and ending both their lives. Or at least, that's what that stupid, stupid fox had been planning. I move again, climbing down into the arena and limping over to where the rest of the team is as Kurama opens his eyes, pushing himself onto his hands and knees.

He gets to his feet, and I sigh in relief even as tears stream down my face. This guy and I are going to have to have a talk about all the times he's tried to kill himself for the sake of the team. I'm pretty sure we just had a discussion about how I can't end my own life. I'm not about to let him end his own.

Yusuke leaps into the ring to help Kurama as Hiei says, "They don't look like a team that just lost a match. What do they know that we don't?"

"That," I say, pointing to the scoreboard where it clearly shows Karasu as the victor.

* * *

A/N:Karasuuuu! He's finally dead! *throws a party* Seriously. Not much to say in this chapter except that Asaki's reactions to Karasu getting his butt kicked are great. This chapter feels really short, but the next ones will make up for it. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose and AmericanNidiot for the reviews!

Side note, if anyone is interested I have a Tumblr. I occasionally reblog YYH things, but it's mostly just things I find entertaining. Feel free to check me out .com. Or not :P Does anyone even read my ramblings?

YYH is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi. Woot.


	27. Like the Great Fire Bears

I shake my head as the ref explains the whole mess. Apparently, Kurama stayed down 0.28 seconds too long when he killed Karasu. They show a replay, but I block it out, not really interested in watching the guy I love get mangled yet again.

Yusuke growls as he helps Kurama out of the ring. When they see me, Yusuke frowns. "What took you so long?" he asks.

"Forgive me for not wanting to be too close to the carnage for once," I reply, helping him settle Kurama on the ground and immediately wrapping my arms around the red-haired demon as I begin healing him.

"Too bad healing's the only thing you're good for," Hiei retorts.

"I will kill you one of these days," I grunt, wincing as I try to make my bad leg more comfortable.

"Try it," he replies.

"Can we stop this moronic chanting?" Kuwabara shouts at the crowd around us. They've been calling our team cheaters and losers this whole time, but I don't even care anymore.

"Forget world peace," Yusuke growls. "I'm going to wish for muscles."

"You know what I'm going to wish for?" Hiei asks, smiling sadistically. "The bloody death of everyone on the Tournament Committee so that I'll never be pulled into another of their carnivals again."

"Hear hear," I mutter as I kiss the back of Kurama's hand for a second, sending a jolt of healing through him that eases his breathing. "You're a bloody mess yourself," I say.

"Sorry," he grunts.

"I don't really, care," I reply. "I'm just so proud of you. You beat him, and you survived, despite all your efforts to the contrary."

He sighs, relaxing into my arms. "But I did not win."

"Eh," I say. "It only matters so much. In the end, this whole thing is going to come down to Yusuke and the younger Toguro brother."

"You're probably right," he replies.

"Well done, Kurama," I mumble into his hair as I rest my head on top of his.

"Thank you, Asaki. It must have been hard for you, but you've kept your promise."

"Nah, it turns out I like watching my friends get blown to bits." He doesn't respond, so I poke him in the side. "That was a poorly timed joke."

"Agreed," he says, and I sigh.

"Sassy even when you're bleeding."

The ground shakes around us, and I look up in time to see Bui step into the ring. Hiei leaps up to meet the massive warrior, not an ounce of fear in his stride. "This ought to be good," I say.

"As much as you want Hiei to die, I think you might wish to cheer for him instead," Kurama retorts.

"You know I don't actually want him to kick the bucket, right? I was referring to the fight he's going to give Bui. I can sense Hiei's much stronger than the last time he fought."

"As can I," Kurama replies. "I don't know that we want to be this close to the ring, however."

Kurama pushes himself upright, moving away from the fight a bit but choosing to stay on his feet, something I'm questioning. I don't really know that it's worth arguing with the stupid fox, however.

"It occurs to me," I say, frowning, "that the nature of my healing and the way I have to essentially cling to you has a lot to do with why people tease us about being a couple."

He shrugs. "It doesn't matter to me. We both know the kind of relationship we have."

"You really don't mind?" I say. "What if your soulmate is here somewhere, and she doesn't like me holding you?"

"As unlikely as that is," he tells me, smiling wryly, "I don't think she'd mind."

Which is a strange thing to say, but I shrug, standing beside him and settling for holding his hand to heal him. It'll take more time, but at least it'll keep my sanity intact a little longer. Holding onto Kurama makes my head swim.

"Man," Kuwabara says. "Look how tight Hiei has those bandages wrapped around his arm. His injuries must not be anywhere close to healing for real."

"No," Kurama says. "You've misunderstood Hiei's true motives. The purpose of this particular binding is not to repair."

"What the hell?" Yusuke asks. "So, it's just there to look pretty?"

"Not exactly."

"Why use a bandage that doesn't make your hurty spots better?" Kuwabara asks, and I have to resist the urge to laugh. There's something adorably innocent about that guy. I wonder how anyone could really think he was some scary delinquent punk. I mean, minus all the street-fighting he did.

"It's not…." I frown. "He wouldn't do something like that, would he?"

"Do what?!" Yusuke asks.

"I'm going to kill all of you when this is over," I grumble. "But I'm killing Hiei twice."

"Asaki!"

"Just watch," I snap, irritated.

Bui charges at Hiei, missing the little guy with his giant axe. After that, he starts ripping up the ring, using his weapon to throw chunks of it at Hiei. The dark-haired demon breaks the chunks with his Fist of the Mortal Flame, fire engulfing his hand and making his punches stronger. Bui swings his giant axe, hitting Hiei head-on...but the smaller demon connects with the edge of the blade using his own fist….

The axe blade breaks off, flying into the crowd. Bui summons another axe, chucking it at Hiei who catches in and incinerates it in his bare hand.

"Remind me to never let Hiei touch me again any time soon. Or, like, ever," Kuwabara mumbles.

"Right. I'll make a note," Koenma replies.

"He looks like he's enjoying himself," I say, tugging at the base of my braid.

"That sour look on his face means he's having _fun_?" Yusuke asks.

"You would be correct," I tell him.

"Stupid short demon," Kuwabara grumbles.

"Say that to his face when this is over," I laugh.

"No thanks. I kinda like life."

Bui begins removing his armor, tossing an arm guard out of the ring. It's so heavy that it sinks into the ground. "And that's just one of his arm thingies?" Kuwabara asks.

"I'm excited," I say, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"You're not worried for him?" Kurama asks me.

"No. Unlike you, Hiei doesn't get himself nearly killed every single time he fights," I growl, squeezing his hand tightly.

"I suppose that's fair," Kurama replies. "But that doesn't mean this will be easy."

"No, but it's no fun that way." Kurama looks at me with wide eyes, and I smile.

"Asaki, you never cease to surprise me."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Bui's power level skyrockets...or rather, the armor that was holding it back is gone, so we can feel it now. It's overwhelming and I wonder how Hiei will combat it. Turns out I don't have to wait long. The smaller demon matches Bui's aura with his own, and they begin to fight, ability to ability, no weapons involved.

The large demon sends a homing attack after Hiei, which the dark-haired demon dodges again and again until he appears behind Bui, making the attack hit its sender. The resulting explosion is massive, and the ring is engulfed in smoke.

"I'm glad Hiei is on our side," Koenma says.

"Why do I get the feeling you say that after all of their fights?" I ask him.

"Because it's true," he replies.

The smoke clears, leaving a completely unharmed Bui who immediately proceeds to taunt Hiei's strength. I wonder if all the rest of the fights are going to be pissing matches, or if it's just because Hiei is here.

That's when Hiei starts to remove his bandage around his arm. "Okay, now I'm worried," I mumble. Kurama squeezes my hand gently, and I lean into him a bit, my stiff leg throbbing.

"Hey, he's removing his bandage," Kuwabara says. "You know, the one that doesn't do what it's supposed to."

"It seems you misunderstand," Kurama replies. "On the contrary, that binding has accomplished precisely what it was intended to do, which for Hiei is similar to Bui's armor. Though, in Hiei's case, it's not just his own energy that's trapped in that arm."

Hiei laughs as black flame surrounds him. To Bui, he says, "You're the next sacrifice to the Dragon of the Darkness Flame." Fire shoots from his arm, hitting parts of the stadium, and I find myself looking to where the girls are sitting. I don't think they're safe.

"It's even more than before," Kurama says. "Without control, he could kill us all."

I slide my hand out of Kurama's, reaching for my hair tie. Holding it before me, I blow on it, fire sparking around the scrap of fabric. "Protect," I whisper, balling it up, the fire snapping at my fingers for a moment before growing docile, pleasantly warm instead of searingly hot. I chuck it with all of my strength toward the girls and watch as it arcs perfectly to land in Botan's lap.

She stares at it for a moment before a force field of flames sparks to life around them. I shudder as I give her a small wave, feeling a little dizzy. It's been a while since I've used my energy like that, and I was half expecting it to not even work.

"I hope that's enough," I mumble, fiddling with the loose end of my braid. It'll be mostly unraveled by the time this is over.

"Good throw," Yusuke says. "Wanna do that for us too?"

"Sorry, but shields aren't really my strong suit," I say, feeling a bit tired. "Another one like that, and I think I'll pass out. That's most of my power up there."

"Nice trick, though," Kuwabara says. "Think it'll keep them safe?"

"It had better," I reply as the stadium starts to rumble.

Hiei summons the dragon from the heavens, a mass of swirling black lashing out around him, and sends it at Bui. The fighter flies across the stadium, struggling with the enormous beast before...turning it around and flinging it back at Hiei. I watch in horror as the dragon collides with the short demon, devouring him before flying into the sky.

 _No way. How did that just happen?_ He turned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame around after it had set sights on a target. That's unheard of. Bui is some kind of monster, and Hiei is the one paying for it.

As the ref moves to start her ten count, however, the dragon starts to descend, the stadium erupting once more in black flames. I brace myself, knowing I'm at risk of collapsing from the strain of maintaining the force field around the girls. It's so far away….

The fire slowly fades, revealing Hiei, alive and whole. "Yes!" I whisper, smiling. I don't know how, but he's okay. This apparently doesn't sit well with Bui who launches himself at the other demon, punching and kicking with all his might. Hiei doesn't even flinch under the onslaught, and I shudder. His energy is different now…. Is the dragon...inside him? But how? What body could hold that much power?

Bui charges at Hiei, his energy concentrated into a solid punch that the small demon not only manages to catch but also drains all the power from. Hiei's retaliation is a massive punch of his own, so full of the Darkness Flame's strength that it sends a shockwave through the entire stadium. The force of it knocks Bui into the air, and Hiei follows up with another hit that sends the larger demon into the stands.

The ref starts her ten count, and Hiei returns to the ring, leaving Bui behind. That's a solid victory for Team Urameshi, and our teammate doesn't even look like there's a scratch on him. I let my force field fall around the girls, sighing in relief both from not having to expend so much energy anymore and from Hiei making his way out of the ring toward us.

"W-wait!" Kuwabara sputters. "This is a no dragon-man area."

"Really awesome, Hiei," Yusuke says.

"Yeah, really awesome. Now, why don't you go like, twenty yards away and fight the rest of them."

"That's against the rules, you cretin," Hiei says, his voice sounding a little rough. "Besides, my attack expired."

"Expired?"

"I don't know if your tiny brains can imagine it, but this attack drained most of my energy." He yawns, looking absolutely exhausted. "I'll require some hibernation to get it back."

"Like the great fire bears of my home country," I say, pressing a fist to my chest.

"Piss off," he growls. "Think you can manage finding a safe place for my body where it won't get stepped on?"

"Hibernate?" Yusuke questions.

"Fancy word for being lazy," Kuwabara grumbles.

"Listen, you two," the demon says, pointing at them. "I'm trusting you against my better judgment only because I have no other choice. Take care of the Toguro Brothers. If I wake up and we've lost, I swear I'll kill...you…all." He passes out, collapsing to the ground, and we all start laughing.

"Guy passes out, but he still has time for a death threat," Yusuke says. He looks up at me, smiling. "You guys really do have a lot in common, huh?"

I hold up my fingers, ticking off, "We're both fire demons, both make death threats, are both really cranky if you wake us up from our naps. We're practically the same person." Kurama laughs, and I smile. "Really, the only difference is I'm cooler than he is."

"Clearly."

"I don't think you believe me," I reply. "Mind you, I can't summon hell dragons from Spirit World, but I've learned how to make some pretty good cookies."

"You guys are stupid," Kuwabara grunts.

"Check yourself," I reply as the orange-haired guy eyes Hiei.

"Can I give him a mustache?" he asks.

"Depends on how you feel about living."

Koto announces that the Tournament is going to take a break while they bring in a new ring, and I sigh, looking at the destruction Hiei's dragon left in its wake. That guy is something else. There are nothing but chunks of stone left where the fight had taken place, and the stadium itself is largely in ruins.

Kurama sinks to the ground, and I crouch down beside him. "You okay?" I ask, putting a hand on his shoulder and passing a little bit of energy into him. I'm still a little tired from maintaining a force field at such a big distance, so I can't offer much.

"Fine," he says. "It doesn't hurt to rest while I can."

"That's fair," I reply.

"Hey, I'm gonna go to the locker room," Kuwabara says. "Gotta get into my fighting groove."

"Tell them why you're really leaving," an unfamiliar voice replies, sending chills through me. It's the other Toguro Brother: the older one with the small frame and long, scraggly hair. I don't know how he got over here without us noticing, but he gives me the creeps.

"You're frightened because you know you're about to die," he practically purrs.

"Hey!" Kuwabara snaps. "You got no business over here."

"You have improved your strength remarkably over the last few months, Kuwabara," the Toguro says, not minding the orange-haired punk's words. "But there's still an abyss of difference separating you and I, so say the appropriate prayers because I don't like painless endings." He gives Kuwabara a smile that makes me move a little closer to Kurama. The fox demon squeezes my hand, providing a slight comfort.

"Lucky for you, your execution's been postponed. Why don't you go enjoy your life for a while? You don't want to have any sickly regrets." The disgusting man laughs, a high-pitched giggle, as he walks away, back to his own team.

"What a creep," Kuwabara says, but his voice is shaking. I don't blame him. There's something very wrong about Elder Toguro, something that makes me feel sick just being around him. This next fight is likely to be the worst yet.

"Come on," Yusuke says, walking over to Hiei's body. "Let's go to our locker room." He and Kuwabara lift Hiei, and I help Kurama to his feet, but when they start to move, I find I can't.

"Asaki?" Kurama says, looking back at me.

"S-sorry," I mumble. "I'm going to check on the girls. See you in a bit."

"All right," he replies, heading after the others. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I drag my stupid leg along, moving back into the stadium and up to where Keiko and the others had been sitting not long before. They aren't here anymore, but I already knew they wouldn't be.

Instead, all I find is Botan by herself, my hair tie clenched tightly in her hands. She's staring at it like it might burst into flames once more.

* * *

A/N:I'm one of those people who wouldn't recognize flirting if someone told me it was happening, so I can definitely sympathize with Asaki here. Mr. Wry Smiles McGee (Kurama, in case that wasn't obvious) seems to know this information and thinks he can get away with it. He can and does. I worry that Asaki doesn't pay attention to these fights nearly enough, but I also don't blame her. This is the first time she's ever opted to watch, but even still, it has to be hard. Also, I'm looking forward to Elder Toguro getting flyswattered. 10/10 on Kuwabara.

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to those who left reviews!


	28. Flyswatter

I sit down beside Botan, reaching for my hair tie. She lets it go, jumping in surprise like she didn't notice I was even here until just now.

"Asaki!" she cries.

"Are you okay, Botan?" I pull my hair over my shoulder, fixing my braid, tying it securely once again. When it isn't in a proper braid, I always feel vulnerable, though I'm not sure why.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Botan replies, smiling weakly. "You know me, silly airhead and all. How are you?"

"About as good as you," I say, narrowing my eyes before sighing. "I thought I'd be relieved that Kurama isn't fighting anymore, but for some reason, these next two fights have me feeling just as sick as before."

"Well, that's because you've grown so fond of all the boys, not just the one you love romantically. I can hardly blame you. We're a hot mess, but we're basically family here, and we'll all be worried for each other all the time."

"Is that why you're so scared?" I ask her. She looks like she's about to deny it when I shrug. "I am too. It's worse, I think, because I have a logical reason for it. At least when it's nonsensical and mind-numbing, I don't actually have to process it. This time, I'm well-aware of my fear and I need to do something with it or I might break down again."

She nods. "I know what you mean. But Asaki, we're going to get through this."

"Of course we are," I say, forcing a big smile. "Kuwabara and Yusuke are going to crush those Toguros, and then we'll be on a boat back home tomorrow, right?"

"Definitely." We're both smiling through tears that are pooling in our eyes, and I feel a new rush of affection for this blue-haired, oar-riding goofball.

A rumbling catches our attention, and Botan gets to her feet. "What on earth is that?"

"I don't know," I say, getting up as well, "but we ought to check it out." She nods, and I follow after her, albeit much more slowly due to my stiff leg. All I can think is that I'm going to need to buy new shoes after this with the way I'm dragging my foot along the ground.

We end up at the entrance to the stadium, the rest of Team Urameshi already standing there, eyes wide. Toguro is carrying the ring from the old stadium to ours…. I gape, my hand grabbing Botan's sleeve. She lets out a strange sound, and I almost bark a strangled laugh.

"Anybody mind if I puke on myself?" Yusuke asks. He runs a hand over his face, saying, "Show's over," before heading out into the woods. The others disperse as well, and I sigh, leaning against one of the walls and punching the top of my thigh, just above my knee.

"How does it feel?"

"Hm?" I look up at Kurama who is eyeing my leg. "Mostly better. It's pretty stiff, but I figure that'll pass soon too. It just makes walking anywhere take a bit longer than it ought to."

He nods. "I can imagine, but I'm glad you'll be okay."

"Me too," I say. Neither of us is going to talk about today like it's our last. Yusuke and Kuwabara can do this.

"Asaki." Kurama's hand touches the side of my face, and I stiffen, staring at him in confusion. "You're trembling."

"Oh, y-yeah. Totally normal. Fire demons, we just kind of tremble sometimes. No sweat."

He sighs, pulling his hand away. "I'm going to keep Hiei's body company if you'd care to join me. I think I know something that might distract you from...normal fire demon things."

"Ah, good. I could use a break from being a normal fire demon for a while." I follow him, thankful that he walks slowly so I can keep up. When we get to the locker room, he sits on one of the benches, and I settle down beside him as he pulls a very familiar book from under the bench.

"Hey, that's the third one," I say, surprised. It's the book series I'd suggested to him what feels like ages ago.

"They're very good," he replies, smiling. "It might not help much, but I thought I could read to you."

Read to me. I know that's something parents do when they teach their kids to read. It's something countless tutors had done until I told them I didn't need them anymore. Teachers at school do it too, but no one has ever just offered to do so for me. He's not trying to teach me anything or lecture me or make me feel small. He just wants to keep me distracted to assuage my poorly-disguised fears.

"Thank you," I say, folding my hands in my lap and staring at them. "That sounds really nice."

So, he flips open to somewhere in the middle and begins reading aloud, his voice soft and warm. I've read this book so many times, practically memorized most of the words, but the way he speaks them, it's like the story is brand new. I find myself leaning into him, not daring to miss a single breath.

At some point, he changes some of the words, and I elbow him, making him laugh. "That's not how that goes," I grumble.

"Had to make sure you were still listening," he says, smiling.

"Jerk," I reply, but I close my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder as he continues again. Getting lost in his voice, I forget what I have to be afraid of...even if it's only for a little while.

...

"Asaki. Asaki."

I open my eyes, sitting upright and blinking a few times. Hiei is glaring at me from the other bench which is when I realize he's awake. If I missed him waking up, I must have fallen asleep too.

"Shoot!" I gasp, turning to face Kurama. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

He gives me a small smile. "It's all right. How are you feeling?"

"Better." I get to my feet as do the other two.

"It's going to start soon," Kurama says.

"Darn, maybe I could have slept through it," I reply, stretching as high as I can, reaching up with splayed fingers. Fire suddenly kicks into my hands, and I sneeze, nearly falling over the bench. "Oops."

"What the hell was that?" Hiei asks.

"I don't wake up well," I tell him. "I get weird fire feedback sometimes."

"You just lack control," he snarls.

"I am well aware, jackass. Why don't you-"

"Why don't we head into the arena," Kurama says, cutting me off. "You can fight each other there if you think they'll let you."

"Pass," I say. "I'm going to stay with the girls again. I have a feeling things are going to get dicey, and I want to make sure they're safe. However…." I burn a strip of fabric from either of my shirtsleeves, holding them both in my hands and focusing on them intently.

They start to glow green, and I pass them to Kurama who relaxes a little once they're in his hands. I waver on my feet, pressing a hand to my head. "For Kuwabara and Yusuke. They'll emit healing energy for the pair of them. It's not much, but at least you won't be completely without me."

"How do you enchant things like that?" Hiei asks as we make our way out of the locker room.

"Beats me. It works best with things I've been touching for a while like pieces of my clothing or my hair tie. I've used paper, grains of sand, and even strands of hair, although that last one is really dangerous. Like handling a live grenade."

"That's curious," Kurama says as we reach the stairs leading into the stands.

I shrug. "It's come in handy a few times. Anyway, tell the others good luck from me." I wave goodbye before making my way to my seat. The girls look up as I approach, and I know they're wondering why I'm not down with the guys again.

"I'm glad you're here, Asaki," Botan says. "I was wondering where you'd gone off to."

"I was talking with Hiei and Kurama," I tell her. "Had something for them to give to Yusuke and Kuwabara since I'll be up here making sure you guys are safe."

"Safe?" Keiko asks.

"These last two matches are probably going to be the most dangerous ones so far. The boys can look after themselves when it comes down to it, but too much demon energy could conceivably kill normal humans. I won't let that happen."

"Thanks, kiddo," Shizuru says, smiling, a cigarette in her mouth. She looks nervous, and I wish I could do something to make her feel better. Her baby brother is about to get way in over his head. However, he's always come out on top before. I have to believe he can do it again.

The match starts with Kuwabara summoning his Spirit Sword, only it's immensely more powerful than when I saw it last. His spirit energy hits me like a wave, but it's almost soothing. Maybe that's just me being happy he's gotten so strong. He's not the same punk kid I met when I first came to Sarayashiki.

Kuwabara charges at the elder Toguro brother, sword held high. The demon doesn't move, letting the human cleave him in two from shoulder to hip. We all stare in shock, confused. Suddenly, Kuwabara's chest is pieced from behind by these pale thin tendrils, blood spouting from his wounds. The tendrils withdraw as he falls to the ground, dropping his sword.

Those blood-stained pale strands sink into the stadium where I see now a crack has formed between Elder Toguro's body and...what now is another Elder Toguro. Somehow, he's managed to form himself in two places at once.

Toguro explains that he can move parts of his body and his vital organs wherever he pleases, making him stupidly difficult to actually injure, on top of the fact that he was regenerative powers. Watching him move his body around like that makes me want to puke.

He takes the hilt of Kuwabara's sword in his hand, proceeding to tease him about...Genkai's death. If I had known the big guy didn't know, I'd have told him myself to spare him this pain as Toguro proceeds to put on a demented puppet show, using his twisted form to shape Genkai and his younger brother.

In a sick way, it's comforting to confirm that Younger Toguro killed her. It'll be even more comforting once Yusuke gets revenge.

Elder Toguro forms his hand into a drill, shooting it directly at Kuwabara's heart, and I gasp, my stomach flipping at the sight. However...suddenly, Kuwabara is flowing with orange energy. The human thrusts his hand out toward the demon, sending hundreds of slivers of energy at him, ripping Toguro to shreds.

However, he doesn't stay down long, piecing his own body back together and getting back to his feet much to everyone's horror. He uses his long fingers to lift Kuwabara high into the air before slamming him onto the ground. Toguro then turns his other arm into a blade, preparing to swing at Kuwabara.

"You monster!" Shizuru cries, getting to her feet. She's lost her cigarette, the only way to tell she's really scared.

Before Toguro can swing, Kuwabara uses his energy to summon his Spirit Sword from the hilt lying behind the demon, slicing Toguro into pieces once again. As the ref starts another ten count, that awful demon begins to put himself together again.

This time, however, Kuwabara is done playing games. He turns his Spirit Sword into what almost looks like a tennis racket or a frying pan, raising it above Toguro's body.

"Spirit Flyswatter!" he cries, smacking Toguro's body into nonexistence. The ref calls Kuwabara the winner, and the crowd erupts, but, surprisingly, it isn't all booing. Maybe we aren't the only ones who're glad that little freak is gone.

Shizuru relaxes into her seat, looking beyond relieved. I give her a grin, and she returns it. "I knew that little idiot could do it."

"Me too," I reply. "That was awesome."

"I didn't know he could do that with his sword," Yukina says.

"It was certainly something else," Botan adds.

I look down at the field, frowning at the guys who are all standing in a circle, apparently discussing something. Maybe they're filling Kuwabara in about Genkai. I sigh, running a hand over my face. That was an awful way to find out someone you care about has died.

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchange a few more words before the black-haired delinquent makes his way to the ring. On the other side, Younger Toguro does the same, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Last one," I mumble.

"Thank goodness," Botan says.

Before any kind of fighting can begin, however, Sakyo saunters into the ring, announcing that he's going to bet his life on Toguro's victory. Koenma agrees to do the same, granting the winner of this match two victories and the championship. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, and I scowl, sighing.

"Sakyo can't resist a gamble, regardless of how mental it sounds," I snap.

"Yusuke had better win this," Botan says. "Spirit World can't afford to lose Koenma."

"We can't afford to lose Yusuke," I add. "If he goes down, who's going to defeat Toguro?"

"Quit talking like there's any chance he won't win," Keiko says.

"Sorry," I reply, chagrined. "I know he will. Yusuke's too tough and stubborn to let Toguro beat him after all this time."

"It's not just that," Botan adds. "It's his heart too. He'll want to do everything he can to keep us all safe."

I smile at that just as an eerie cackling makes my stomach drop to my feet. "What the hell?"

Elder Toguro leaps from the rubble, missing only his arm. Somehow, he'd managed to liquefy his body to prevent Kuwabara from giving him fatal wounds and bided his time until he could make the biggest entrance. Asshole.

He makes some lewd cracks about Genkai that have my skin crawling and fire leaping at my fingertips, but, to everyone's surprise, Younger Toguro kicks his older brother, sending the monster flying into the air. Elder Toguro tries to retaliate, but the larger demon punches him, releasing so much energy that the smaller demon disintegrates. I think he's gone for real this time.

* * *

A/N: Elder Toguro has one of the most satisfying deaths in the series, both times it happens (does that make me a little crazy for thinking that?), and I can't say that about a lot of bad guys. I know this chapter was pretty short, but it has some of my favorite lines and a few things that are going to come back later (but I'll keep the details a secret). I feel like Kurama's the kind of guy who would enjoy reading aloud to his S/O or any potential kids he might have. I like the idea of just relaxing with someone while they read aloud to you. Maybe I'm just weird. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to AmericanNidiot and YukinaBlueRose for the reviews.


	29. The Longest Day

With all distractions out of the way, it's finally Toguro vs Yusuke, the last fight that will decide everything. I'm beyond nervous, my stomach tied in knots, but I just have to believe in Yusuke. He can do this. That punk never lets anyone beat him easily. Now would be a terrible time to start.

Toguro removes his jacket, leaving himself shirtless, and Botan jeers. "You know he just thinks he's so great."

"But he's not," Keiko mumbles, her voice sounding uncertain.

"Put your shirt back on!" Shizuru shouts, and I find myself laughing. I know it's all nerves from these girls, but they're trying to keep their heads. The bravery in this little pocket alone is immense.

Toguro starts to power up, and I watch, slightly sickened as his already enormous muscles get larger. The energy he's emitting is so intense, it's killing the weaker apparitions around us. If it can do that to demons, what might it do to humans? I'm not about to find out. I hold out my hand, using the air around us as a conduit as I create a barrier.

"That should do it," I pant, sinking back onto the bench.

"Thanks, Asaki," Botan says, not tearing her eyes away from the fight. That's when I notice the strange little blue creature Keiko has in her lap. It's eyeing me, nodding its head, and I find myself doing the same in return. I don't recall ever having seen it before, but judging by the way Keiko is holding it, it must be important.

Below, the fight begins, Yusuke and Toguro exchanging a few blows with the demon's managing to take out more of the audience. I wonder if they can still cheer for the demon team now. Probably.

Yusuke charges up his Spirit Gun, but rather than using it on Toguro, he returns to hand-to-hand combat, going blow for blow against the massive demon. I'm impressed, not only by Yusuke's newfound strength, wherever it came from, but also by how intelligent a decision it was for him to not try and shoot Toguro from so far away. If he only has four Spirit Gun shots, he can't afford to waste a single one.

Toguro sends a massive attack straight at Yusuke who just manages to dodge, however, the arena isn't so lucky. It's blasted to smithereens, chunks flying all over the place. Yusuke uses the confusion to fire one shot, straight at Toguro. It hits the demon, the blast so enormous and powerful that it sends him flying from the stadium, deep into the forest.

Everyone stares in awe, but after a moment or two, Botan gets to her feet. "We win!" she shouts.

"Are you crazy?" I hiss, grabbing her sleeve. "It's not over."

"What do you mean?" she asks, eyes wide.

"My Spirit Awareness is crap, but even I can feel his power from here. It's nowhere near over."

"Why can't this just end?" Keiko asks, tears in her eyes. She squeezes the little blue bird thing she's holding tightly, and it makes a soft _puu_ noise.

After a minute or so, Toguro saunters back into the ring, looking none the worse for wear, and I sigh. "Round 2."

Koto sputters some nonsense about Toguro coming back from the dead as the two square off again, and I wish I had the strength to chuck something at her right now. As it is, I'm not even sure I can stand. Making barriers takes a lot out of me.

Yusuke smiles at Toguro, and I wonder if he's finally lost it. After taking off his wrist bands, I know for a fact he has. He's wearing Spirit Cuffs, limiters that hold back one's power, like the armor Bui was wearing earlier. Why is this moron holding anything back in the end all, be all fight?!

The cuffs glow golden around his wrists, spirit power jumping between them. Yusuke mutters something and shrugs them off, his spirit energy suddenly skyrocketing to an enormous level. I wonder if it's enough to fight Toguro.

Not wasting any time, Yusuke lands a solid blow to the demon, sending him flying before landing another hit right into his gut that has so much force it creates a crater beneath them. The crowd is stunned silent as Yusuke repeatedly pummels Toguro's still body. After a few dozen hits, however, the human stops, suddenly leaping away.

 _What on earth?_ Toguro gets up, not looking even slightly battered, although Yusuke's punches could have totaled semi-trucks. The only difference in his appearance is that his muscles are much smaller than I've ever seen them.

Everyone stares as, suddenly, Toguro powers up once again. His demonic energy shoots off of him in waves, the occasional beam making its way into the crowd, decimating entire sections of demons. One hits our barrier, and I grit my teeth as I struggle to push it back. Holy hell, but that was hard. I don't know how many more of those I can take.

The very ground beneath our feet is shuddering, and I feel like I may be sick. Suddenly, everything goes pitch black, and I feel Yukina's hand find mine, trembling in fear. It's not like I'm any calmer, but I squeeze it in return, trying to at least pretend like I am.

When the darkness finally dissipates, I gasp at the sight before us. Toguro has indeed reached his maximum power, and it's horrifying. His skin has turned gray, the sinews on his body standing raised above his skin. His shoulders have what almost look like hollow horns protruding from them, and I shudder to think what they could be for. This doesn't look good for us.

"Poor Yusuke," Shizuru says, echoing my thoughts. "He doesn't stand a chance."

"How can you say that?" Keiko snaps. "Yusuke will win this one, just like all the other times. You'll see." She clasps her hands together, and I find myself wishing I had her faith.

"Come on, Yusuke," I whisper, my own hands meeting like hers, practically begging him to end this nightmare and let us go home.

Toguro starts the fight by flinging rocks at Yusuke that he can barely deflect. I watch in horror as the demon manages to nearly break Yusuke's arm and then takes a direct shot from a Spirit Gun without a single scratch on him. This is not good. Not good at all.

The demon sends Yusuke flying into the top of the stands with one solid punch, and I cover my mouth with my hands, holding back terrified tears. _Dammit, Yusuke. Don't die on us._ However, I can only spend so much time cursing Yusuke as I feel a weird sort of pull coming from the arena. Turning my attention back to Toguro, I think I might throw up.

He's sucking in the souls of demons in the audience through those horn-things on his shoulders. I get to my feet as my concentration falters on the barrier, raising my hands. "Dammit!" I shout, gritting my teeth. This is so stupid. If only I hadn't used so much of my power healing and making talismans. Not that I had any idea I would need so much later. I'd thought my turn was well over.

The crowd tries to run away, but a wall appears at the push of a button from Sakyo, trapping everyone inside. I can't even get the girls out of here now. With the power I have left in me, taking down the walls would be impossible. The demons seem to agree, and some of them even try to charge Toguro, despite knowing how futile that is. He mows them down instantly, and I have to look away, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. Nothing matters more than keeping these girls safe...not even the lives of mostly innocent demons. I just have to trust in Yusuke.

"Keiko!" I open my eyes to see Keiko on her feet, her eyes dead. "Keiko!" Botan cries. "Snap out of it! We can still make it out! Yusuke can still win this. We just have to trust him. We can't think about what happens if he loses or how much he'll let down Genkai."

At her words, a familiar voice hits my ears. "This is such a mess." I stare at the source in awe. It's that strange blue creature. But, why does it have Genkai's voice. It flies into the air, using its wings as it says, "Hang in there, Asaki. Keep them safe."

"Of course," I grunt, feeling a little stronger than I was before as I watch the weird flying thing make its way to Yusuke and Toguro. What's going on here? I don't have much time to think on it as Toguro turns to face us.

He launches a blast of energy, and I dig my heels in, prepared to take whatever I have to in order to protect everyone. At the last second, it changes course, hitting the wall only a few feet away, and I take a shaky breath, my stiff leg nearly giving out on me. "This sucks!" I shout, moving to stand in front of the girls. If that happens again, I need to be ready to take the brunt of it.

When I focus on the fight again, I frown. Why is Toguro heading toward the other guys? I don't have a good feeling about this. Yusuke tries desperately to stop him, but he's swatted away like a fly, and I swallow hard. What is going on? What the hell did I miss?!

Kuwabara steps forward from the group, saying something I can't hear. He walks toward Toguro, and my heart stops as the demon's hand pierces my orange-haired classmate's chest. He falls to his knees, and Kurama rushes forward to catch him as my knees give out beneath me. I can't feel Kuwabara's life energy anymore.

Suddenly, Yusuke's power level skyrockets, his energy flowing out of him. It reaches all the way up here, and I get back to my feet even as tears pour from my eyes. I don't have the strength to make them stop, even if I'd wanted to. Here it is. The last play. Yusuke and Toguro will finish this, here and now. I can barely breathe, forcing myself to focus on the two fighters. If I lose it now, the barrier will fall. I can't think about anything other than maintaining it.

I watch, not really processing what's going on below. It's just one more fight. Will they ever end? Does it even matter anymore? I wish I could say I just want to go home, but how can we? Nothing will be the same after what has happened here. _Dammit all. Maybe I never should have left home if all it's going to do is hurt me again and again._ The universe has a sick sense of humor.

A bright light makes me zero in on the fight once more, and I watch as Yusuke fires one last Spirit Gun straight at Toguro. The demon doesn't try to dodge, taking the blow head on. I watch, trembling as he holds it, even as it tears at his body. When the energy has finally faded, I look on, holding my breath. After what seems like forever, Toguro falls to the ground...dead.

Yusuke slowly gets to his feet, having fallen after that last attack. The ref and Koto both stand before him, declaring Team Urameshi the winners of the Dark Tournament.

"It's over," Botan whispers.

Yukina tugs on my arm. "You can drop the barrier now." I stare at her, not sure I understand. "We're safe for now."

I nod, dumbly even as my power fails me. My knees give out, and I sink to the ground, landing wrong and gasping at the tight feeling in my bad leg. I'm amazed I can feel anything right now.

"Shizuru!" Botan gasps, and I look over to see her grabbing the other woman and pointing into the arena. I follow her finger and choke back a sob. It's Kuwabara. He's okay. Oh, thank goodness. I clap my hands together, laughing slightly.

"He's alive," I whisper.

"I'm so glad," Yukina says, smiling brightly. After all of this, she can still manage an expression like that. I'm so impressed. Then again, this is the girl who survived being tortured in Tarukane's stronghold. She's got strength in spades.

Suddenly, the stadium starts shaking, and I look down into the ring to see Sakyo with a black remote in his hand. "No way." Is he going to destroy the whole arena?

"Detonation in fifteen minutes," a robotic voice says, and I sigh. Will this day never end?

"Guys, we should leave," I say as I turn to see Yukina shaking Keiko.

"Come on! Snap out of it!" the ice apparition says.

"She's in shock," I mumble. I know how that feels, and a little bit of shaking isn't going to pull her out of it.

"Keiko," I say, crawling over to her. I'm not sure I can stand right now. "Hey, I need you to look at me. Keiko?" Her eyes are dull, her expression blank. I don't think anything shy of Yusuke is going to be able to get to her, and I sigh. I'm sure the guys will come for us soon. Hopefully, some of the stadium will still be here by the time they do.

I stretch out my leg as I hear Kuwabara's voice. He's standing there, waving to us with a big smile. Yukina gets to her feet, making her way over to him. "Something's wrong with Keiko! She won't move!"

That's when I notice the bit of stadium behind Yukina coming loose. It's going to crush her! I leap to my feet, nearly falling over from the effort as I grab Yukina's arm, pulling her toward me. Just as the wall is about to fall, Hiei is here too, pushing his sister and me to safety.

"You're of no use," he snaps at Kuwbara who stares, dumbfounded.

"Thank you very much, Hiei," Yukina mumbles. I nod, and the short demon looks away, getting to his feet.

Yukina helps me up too as Yusuke's voice reaches us. "This is no place for a party, guys." I look over to see Kurama supporting him, and I have to resist the urge to go to the red-haired demon's side. Not that I probably could right now. I'm so tired.

"Yusuke, Keiko's not well," Botan cries.

"What?" Yusuke hurries over like he's not the least bit exhausted, and I watch as he tries to wake her, first by talking, then by shaking, and finally by slapping her, over and over. I kind of want to intervene, but this seems way too personal. The stadium shakes hard, and I lose my footing, only to be caught by Kurama.

"Are you all right?" he asks me.

"I'll live," I tell him, smiling weakly as a resounding smack catches my attention. Keiko's lucid again, and she's just hit Yusuke _hard._

"I think he's dead," Kuwabara says, poking Yusuke's head with his foot.

"Geez, Keiko, you hit like a truck," Yusuke says, smiling. "Now come on, let's go!" Kurama goes to support Yusuke, and I take up the rear, not really by choice. I'm dragging my stiff leg, trying to keep up. I think I might just pass out. The heat from the explosion will keep me warm.

"Come on, idiot," Hiei says, keeping pace with me. "If you die from an explosion after all of this, don't expect any sympathy."

"Has anyone ever told you you're a _really nice_ person?" I snap. However, I find myself smiling. Underneath that tough exterior and sour expression, he really does care.

We come to a blocked path, rubble in the way. I really don't know that any of us has the strength to clear it after what we've all been through. Just then, a fissure splits the rubble, and it falls to pieces, revealing Chu, Jin, Toya, and Rinku on the other side. I could cheer, I'm so happy to see them.

Running on, I manage to stumble, tripping over a rock and going down hard. "Shit," I grunt, looking at the gash in my leg from the rubble I landed on. Now is not the time for this.

"Up you go!" I gasp as Chu scoops me up into his arms, a grin on his face. "Can't have a lovely lady like you get left behind, now, can we?"

"You are the absolute best," I tell him, grinning as he carries me after the others.

"How's about you and me go on a date when this whole mess is over?" he asks.

"I'll think about it," I reply. Honestly, I think I'd agree to anything as long as it doesn't involve running or fighting. We reach a safe distance from the stadium, and Chu sets me down, letting me lean on him as we turn to watch the explosion.

Koenma, Shizuru, and the blue ogre are the last to join us, and I sigh, relieved that everyone has made it out okay.

"So, it's over now," Kuwabara says as the dust settles.

"Yeah," Yusuke adds. "It finally is."

I smile, looking at all of my friends, old and new, glad that we're all alive. I knew we'd make it, even if I had my doubts. I told Kurama before this thing even started...we made it through. All of us.

Botan lets out an exasperated groan, and we turn to look at her. "Your prize for winning the Tournament! You were each supposed to get whatever you wanted! We didn't even get a souvenir mug!"

"It doesn't matter," Yusuke mumbles. "Those bastards in the Tournament Committee couldn't give us what we wanted anyway."

Which is when I remember that I was wrong after all. We didn't all make it. Genkai…rest in peace.

* * *

A/N: Finally! We're approaching the end of the DT nonsense. So much happened here, nonstop fighting and drama, and I can't wait to move onto other things, like teasing Asaki more and developing her relationships when no one's life is on the line. The absolute faith in Yusuke that his team has always hits me hard during this part of the series. Even the girls are doubting him, but his friends know he can do it. All he needed was a push. As usual, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to AmericanNidiot and YukinaBlueRose for the reviews!

Also, in case anyone is wondering, that date with Chu is 100% going to happen.


	30. Victory for Team Anno

Chu helps me back to the hotel, despite my protests, and when he asks me for a date again, I tell him next time I see him, for sure.

"I'll hold you to it!" he tells me before following his other friends to their rooms. I settle into a chair in the lobby as everyone else continues upstairs. I'm too tired to go any further. Resting my head on the arm of the chair, I fall asleep instantly, only to be awoken by a gentle rocking and the smell of roses.

Looking up, I see Kurama carrying me. I don't say anything, instead, closing my eyes and listening to the beat of his heart as he walks on, eventually stopping outside a door. I don't know how he gets it open, but I hear a lock click, and then the door shut behind us. He carries me in, setting me down on a bed, but before he can completely let me go, I grab onto his shirt.

"Asaki?" He looks down at me, and I stare, eyes wide, at my hands, fisted tightly and not willing to let go.

"S-sorry," I gasp. "Sorry." _Don't go_.

He shakes his head, gently pulling my hands from his shirt before sitting beside me. "I'll have to thank Chu the next time I see him for helping you get out of the arena. I'm sorry I couldn't be of assistance."

I shake my head. "It's fine. You were helping Yusuke. Between Hiei goading me and my own stupid determination, I thought I would be okay." I shrug. "The only thing Chu's help is going to cost me is a little of my time."

"How so?" he asks.

"Oh, he made me promise I'd go out with him once," I reply, yawning.

Kurama laughs, shaking his head. "Of course he did. And you're too kind to say no." Kurama takes ones of my hands in his, and I find myself leaning against him.

"Sorry," I mumble. "I think I'm falling asleep here."

"Shall I leave?"

"Please, don't." The words are out before I can even think about them, and I immediately wish I could take them back.

"I'll stay, then," Kurama murmurs, his soft voice instantly assuaging my embarrassment and all my doubts. After everything that has happened since this thing has started, there's one thing I know for certain: I don't want to live without this man in my life. Whatever that means for me in the future, I'll just have to wait and see.

…

I wake up the next morning bundled up in my blankets, and I wonder when Kurama left. The bed is cold where we'd been sitting, so I guess he must have done so shortly after I fell asleep. Getting up, I find myself smiling absently. There's another rose in my vase. I could hug that fox demon right now.

My stomach rumbles, and I wonder when the last time I ate was. Yesterday morning, I think. Deciding it's beyond time to get moving, I change into casual clothes, doing some stretches and testing out my leg. It's ninety percent better, I want to say. Just a little tightness if I move too fast.

When I get to the lobby, I stop short, spotting my father standing off to one side, looking like he's waiting for something. When he sees me, he glares at me, crossing his arms, and I sigh. Here goes nothing. I make my way to where he's standing, trying to look as serious as possible despite my nerves.

He narrows his eyes at me, looking me over for a moment before slapping me across my face. I stumble, landing funny on my stiff leg and nearly falling altogether, but I manage to hold my ground. "Disgraceful," he growls at me.

"Excuse me?" I snarl. This isn't like my father, choosing to confront me in a public place. "I did exactly what you asked of me."

"You made an idiot of yourself."

"Which is what you asked me for!" I shout. Taking a deep breath, I calm myself a little. "I put on a show. Just because I didn't last throughout the tournament doesn't mean I did any less than you asked of me."

"You're an even bigger fool than I thought if you really believe that's what I was expecting of you. Don't expect me to sign off on anything after that."

"You're kidding me." I stare, wide-eyed at this man before me with his hard expression and dark eyes. "I risked my life for this. _You_ risked my life for some stupid game, and you're going to deny me this?" I shake my head, angry but not entirely surprised. Of course he would do this to me. Of course. Why did I expect anything else?

He snorts. "You really are a fool."

"Please, father," I beg. "I won't ask for anything again, but please. This is important to me."

Something in his eyes falters at those words, and his gaze softens for a moment before he grunts, "Fine."

I'm gaping at him now, but I don't care. "Really?"

"Early birthday gift," he grumbles.

"Father!" I throw my arms around him, hugging this man for the first time in hundreds of years. He stiffens at my touch, but it takes him a full five seconds before he shoves me away, making me stumble and fall on my backside. "Thank you, Father!" I say to him from the ground.

"Get up, you're causing a spectacle," he grunts, his face a little red.

"I don't know that I can," I reply as footsteps approach from behind. Looking to my right, I see Kurama standing beside me, offering me his hand. I go to take it but am surprised, yet again, by my father, who grabs my hand instead, practically dislocating my shoulder as he yanks me to my feet.

"I don't like you, fox demon," my father growls at Kurama. The demon in question merely gives him a steely look in return. "If I could, I'd keep you away from her, but apparently, years of looking after her have only resulted in a terrible taste in friends." He narrows his eyes at me, saying, "Don't come crying to me when their worthlessness rubs off."

"I won't," I reply, smiling. Not even his harsh words can keep me down right now. He huffs, marching off, and I fist pump, jumping for joy and remembering to land on my good leg. "I can't believe he said yes!"

"He's going to let you continue school, then?" Kurama asks

"Yeah! Another decisive victory for Team Asaki! Also, good morning!"

He gives me a wry smile before saying, "Good morning. I've caused a lot of trouble for you with your father."

"I'll let you know when that bothers me." His eyes go wide, and I know he's remembering when he said those exact same words. It's the best way I can think of to tell him everything's okay.

"Asaki," he says, his voice suddenly serious. "I-"

"Good morning, lovebirds," Yusuke yawns, approaching us. "Breakfast time?"

"Apparently," I reply, not even feeling as embarrassed as usual. Nothing could put me in a bad mood right now. The three of us grab some food, making idle chatter before I leave to meet up with the girls. We pay our final respects to Genkai, and then we all pack up to go home at last.

When we finally get into the lobby once again, Shizuru creeps up on Kuwabara who's sitting at a table with Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama. She pops up over his shoulder, and he jumps so high he manages to fly over the table and land in the seat Kurama had just vacated. That takes a lot of skill on everyone's part.

"Sorry we're late," the girls intone as we stand in front of the guys. They've all got a bunch of bags, and I feel a little strange with just one over my shoulder. I only packed up what I cared to take home with me. Everything else would be taken care of by my father or, more likely, thrown away.

"Oh, look, it's the tone-deaf sirens," Yusuke mutters. He looks like he's in a much worse mood than this morning, and even that wasn't great. I don't know that he said more than a sentence or two over breakfast, and his cheekiness felt forced.

The other girls proceed to load off their things on Kuwabara by dint of saying it would make Yukina happy, and the poor guy just sighs, taking it, as he would have put it "like a man". I feel bad for him, and when he looks at me, I grab hold of the straps on my bag, smiling. He gives me a relieved smile in return.

We head out of the hotel, and all I can think is, _good riddance_. After everything we've been through here, I can't wait to get back home to my dingy, one-room apartment. I'll have to find some way to pay my father back for covering my rent while I was gone, even if it is his fault I'm here.

The ship that will take us home blares its horn, and we all stop to watch it roll in. It's not the super-fancy luxury liner my father loaded me onto to get me here, but I'm glad for that. I'd blatantly refused any offers to go back home like that, and I think my father was grateful he wouldn't have to put up with me any longer.

"Back to skipping detentions," Yusuke says, smiling.

"And video games!" Kuwabara cheers.

"My human mother," Kurama says, and I can hear in his voice just how much he misses her.

"Various crimes," Hiei mutters.

"What he said," I add, making a few heads turn. "I'm kidding."

"All right," Yusuke shouts. "Let's go home!" He pumps a fist in the air, and a few of us follow suit, cheering.

"Well, excuse me if I'm a little insulted." That voice. The cheering stops immediately, and Yusuke turns to look for the source.

"Hold on a sec." I follow his gaze, my heart skipping a beat at the tiny frame standing a few yards behind us.

"You just gonna leave the old fossil behind?" Genkai asks. She's...here. She's alive! She's okay. I can't believe it!

Botan is the first to recover from the surprise, running over to the old lady. "Genkai! You're alive!"

We all file in after, though I feel more like skipping than just running. It's Genkai! Botan hugs her, and we all stand around, laughing and happier than we've been in a long time.

"You must have rubbed off on me, dimwit," Genkai says to Yusuke. "I died like you did...half-assed."

"Genkai?" Yusuke falters for a moment before shouting, "Genkai! Come here, you beautiful hag!" He wraps her in his arms, holding her really tightly.

"All right, that's enough," she says, hitting him on the head. Still...she's smiling.

…

The boat ride back is long, and I decide I'd rather spend it by myself than making chit chat with the others. I'm happy Genkai is back and that we're all going home, but I wonder how everyone will be able to adjust to life as usual again. Quite honestly, I know I'll be relieved, but I can't imagine the guys will be.

Sighing, I lean over the railing, staring into the water. I bet it's cold. I hate the cold.

"Asaki?" I look up to see Botan walking over to me, frowning. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Was thinking about going for a swim." She raises her eyebrows, and I shrug. "I'm kidding. I can't swim."

"Are you sure everything's okay? You seem a little off."

I turn my back to the water, resting my back against the railing. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Me too. I can't wait to get some good, solid rest for the first time in ages. I'm certain you must feel the same way. Worse, even with all the energy you've expended since this whole mess started."

"I don't know about that." I raise one hand, palm up, and create a tiny flame. It flickers in the wind, but it doesn't go out. "It's not like the fights I was in were very hard."

"Yes, but all that healing. Goodness, it must have been a nightmare. Our boys certainly aren't careful, are they?"

I smile, still staring down at the flame. "No, they aren't. Would it kill them to be a little considerate?"

"Probably." Shizuru walks over to us, Keiko right behind. "They're all a bunch of selfish jerks, but they're our selfish jerks."

"Maybe eventually they'll grow up," Keiko says.

"Except for Hiei. I think he'll always be that tall." We laugh at that, the little blue guy Keiko is still holding making its weird noises.

"Keiko, what is that?" I ask her.

"Oh, Puu? He's Yusuke's Spirit Beast. It's like the embodiment of his inner-self. It's connected to him."

"Huh."

"He's sort of a gift from Koenma," Botan says, and I nod. Not that this makes any more sense to me. Either way, I guess Yusuke doesn't want Puu hanging around. He probably thinks the thing will ruin his tough guy image.

"So, what's with the fire?" Shizuru asks, pointing to my hand.

"It's kind of comforting," I tell her. I take a few steps away from them and create a few more fireballs, beginning to juggle them. "Aside from that, if I don't use my fire regularly, I get this weird discharge, and I end up burning things on accident."

The girls stare as I continue to add more and more fireballs, eventually turning the individual balls into a single strand and sending it around in circles. As I go to pull it back inside me, a wave of cold washes over the ship, and I shudder, fire pouring out of my body and dancing across my skin.

"Asaki!" Botan shouts, and the girls all back further away. "What's going on?"

I blink, looking up at them, and then past them at the skyline. I can see where we'll be debarking on the horizon, and while I look forward to going home, somehow being on that island made me forget...it's winter.

"Just cold," I grumble, pulling the flames off my skin and letting them sit just under the surface. Not enough to burn anything or anyone who might come into contact with me, but it's enough to keep me warm. I'm not dressed for this.

"What the hell is going on over here?" Yusuke stomps over, the rest of our group following. "Why was Botan shouting?"

"Asaki scared us, that's all," Botan replies, looking chagrined. "It's fine."

"Hey, you're warm." I look over at Shizuru who has decided I'm going to be her heater. She holds her hands out toward me, smiling. "That's much better."

"Um," is all I can say as Keiko does the same.

"Wow, you are warm!"

"For real?" Yusuke holds out a hand, frowning. After a moment, he puts his hand on my shoulder, and I feel my face growing warm.

"Get off!" I shout, trying to take a step back. Bumping into the rail startles me, making me jump and promptly fall onto my backside. Everyone is staring at me, and my brain is running faster and faster ahead of me, thinking about all the times I've been the center of attention like this, all the times I've made a fool of myself, all the times-

"Asaki!" I blink, realizing that Kurama is crouched down in front of me. "You're all right. No one is going to hurt you."

I manage to nod, wiping away the tears that are pooling in my eyes. "S-sorry. I'm okay." I get to my feet and Kurama does the same, taking a step back from me. "Sorry, everyone." I bow a little, feeling really stupid. "Use me as a heater if you want. It's fine. I just...lost my cool for a second there."

"Must happen a lot as a fire demon." I stare at Shizuru for a moment before snorting, covering my mouth with a hand.

"That was bad," I reply, but she's broken the tension of the moment, and I'm so beyond grateful.

"Oh, Asaki!" Botan says, wrapping me in her arms. "You really are warm." The other girls do the same until we're a really weird group hug, and I laugh. After all this time, I'm still not used to being touched by people who don't want to hurt me. Really, the only person who touches me routinely is…Kurama.

I sigh into the embrace of my friends, trying not to think about the times Kurama's held me like this. Or how nice it felt. How comforting it is just to have him around. Now is not the time to get all weird and mushy lest I say something really stupid.

When the ship finally reaches its destination, we rush off, heading back to town, with Hiei, Genkai, and Yukina breaking off to go to their respective destinations. The rest of us make our way back into town before we part ways. It's dark out, and I wonder what time it is.

Once we get to where I can split off to go home, I wave goodbye, only to find Kurama doing the same to Yusuke, Keiko, and Kuwabara. They head off, leaving me alone with the red-haired demon.

"Something up?" I ask.

"I hope you haven't forgotten our promise," he tells me. "I think that deserves a punishment in and of itself."

I frown; we made so many, but I thought we'd fulfilled all of them. "I really can't remember. I'll take whatever punishment you've got for me."

He chuckles, smiling almost impishly. "Our ramen promise."

"Oh!" That's when I remember the promise we'd made about finding the best ramen in town. I hadn't meant it quite so literally, but if it means more time with Kurama, I'm all for it.

"Your punishment will have to be accompanying me tonight, I think," he says, and I grin.

"That's not much of a punishment. As a matter of fact...I'm kind of glad."

"Why is that?"

"Well…." I look away, as I say, "I didn't really want to say goodbye just yet." He gives me a warm smile, and I shout, "Onward, then!" I reposition my backpack on my shoulder, happy to be home and knowing I would follow Kurama anywhere.

* * *

A/N: Touchdown! We've made it! We're finally through the DT, no one we cared about actually died, and things can return to business as usual, whatever that was. More picking on Asaki and ship teasing, I guess. Thanks for reading!


	31. Can't Say No

The first day back at school is the biggest crap shoot ever. Everyone stares at me, whispering about how sick my father must be, and how they think I'm going to fail because I've missed so much class. Screw them. After handing in all of the classwork I'd taken with me, I'm still daunted by the amount that I still need to catch up on.

At lunch, Yusuke laughs his head off at me. "You sure you're looking forward to school after all of that?" he asks when he's finally caught his breath, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Yes," I snap, grabbing one of his rice balls and shoving it in my face.

"Hey! I will fight you."

"You can't fight her, Urameshi," Kuwabara grunts.

"If it's because she's a girl, you can forget that," Yusuke replies.

"It's not because she's a girl, it's because we're still at school. If you want to beat up our friends, do it on your own time."

"Since when have you been so grown up?" Yusuke asks.

"Almost dying can do that to a person," I state, nodding my head.

"What she said," Kuwabara preens.

"What she said," Yusuke mocks, grabbing some of Kuwabara's lunch in retaliation.

"Hey!"

"Karma," Yusuke says, but before he can get a bite, Keiko hits him in the back of the head, making him drop the food onto his desk. Kuwabara snatches it back as Yusuke and Keiko begin their usual fighting. It's good to be back.

…

It's been a week since we got home, and I've spent the entire time playing catch up. The only places I go are school, the library, and my apartment. I don't even spend lunch with the guys and Keiko, instead opting to go to the roof so I can be alone while working on things. It's lonely, but I need to get this done or there's no chance of getting into any high school, let alone a good one. According to my teachers, as long as I keep working like this, I can still get a scholarship. I just need to focus.

I decide to go for a jog after school one day, thinking it will keep me warm in my human form and give me a break from class work. As I make my way past places I've sorely missed, I wonder what everyone is up to right now. It's been so weird not seeing them every day. I guess I took it for granted, which is unusual for me.

I move to pass by an older man and his son in front of me when the bag he's holding suddenly breaks, sending the things inside tumbling all over. He sighs, bending over to pick up what spilled.

"Here," I say, helping out. Between the man, his son, and myself, we've managed to gather everything, but now there's nowhere to put them.

"Thank you for helping, young lady," the man says.

"Of course. Mind if I take a look at your bag?" He hands it to me, taking the things I'd picked up from me. It's a messenger bag, and it looks like the stitching has just come undone. With a little fiddling, I manage to tie the strap to the bag, making it mostly functional again.

"I wouldn't load it up like before, but it's better than nothing," I say, handing it back to him.

"I appreciate the help," he says, smiling. He looks like a nice man, and I hope he manages okay. His son looks close to my human age, and I figure with his help, they'll do fine.

Just as I'm about to leave, I hear someone call out, "Kazuya! I'm sorry I'm so late!" Running toward us, looking a little frazzled, is Shiori Minamino. She sees me, and her eyes go wide. "Asaki!"

"Hi, Mrs. Minamino," I say as she gives the man a quick embrace.

"Do you two know each other?" the older man asks.

"She's a friend of Shuichi's," Mrs. Minamino says. "It's been so long since I last saw you that I was starting to worry. How's your father?"

Which I guess is my cover story again. "He's doing much better," I reply. "I won't need to go back there anytime soon."

"That's good to hear," she says, smiling warmly. It's nice to see her again, but I can't help but wonder if the universe isn't messing with me. What are the odds I bump into someone Kurama's mom knows rather well moments after thinking I miss getting to see everyone every day?

Mrs. Minamino introduces the man as her boyfriend, a Mr. Kazuya Hatanaka, and the young man as his son, Kokoda. Apparently, they were meeting to grab dinner together and planned on picking up Kurama on the way.

"Come with us," Mrs. Minamino says. "It'll be nice to have the company, right Kazuya?"

"Of course," the man says, smiling. "Any friend of Shuichi's is more than welcome."

Such warm people. Standing here with them, I begin to wonder for the first time in a while what it would have been like to grow up with parents that actually loved me. "I couldn't impose," is what comes out of my mouth.

"It wouldn't be any trouble!" Mrs. Minamino says. "I'm sure Shuichi will be glad to see you, too."

I wonder what he told his mom he was up to the whole time he was gone. The Dark Tournament felt like it had lasted a month, but it was really just over a week. "If you're certain I'll be no trouble, then I'd be happy to join you."

"How wonderful!" Mrs. Minamino says, smiling hugely. "Well, let's not keep Shuichi waiting. He should still be at the library."

"He's such a studious boy," Mr. Hatanaka says. The two adults talk, leading the way, and I hang back with Kokoda.

"So, you're friends with Shuichi?" I glance over at Kokoda who is looking at me with curiosity.

"Yeah," I say.

"He's so cool," Kokoda gushes, suddenly smiling hugely. "He's really nice and smart and funny too!"

This guy sounds exactly like I used to when describing Kurama. "He's also a giant dork," I say, laughing at the surprised expression on Kokoda's face.

"No way," the guy says.

"Yes, way. He tells really bad jokes and is incredibly cheeky too." Kokoda's expression falls, and I shake my head. "I mean that in the best way. He's...human." Wow, that's a weird expression coming from a half-demon about a demon in a human body. "I mean, he's not perfect, and I like those qualities about him too."

Kokoda frowns, nodding. "I've never heard anyone talk about him like that before, but I can see what you mean."

"How long have you known him?" I ask.

"Only a few months," he replies. "Dad and Mrs. Minamino have been dating for almost a year, but we've only been going out to eat together like this since the summer."

"Gotcha."

"What about you? How long have you guys been friends?"

I frown, thinking back. "Since May, I think." It feels like I've known him for much longer, but I guess it really was just over half a year ago that I crashed into him at the bakery. We've been through an awful lot of crap together, but that's only served to bring us closer as friends.

"Cool," Kokoda says. "How did you guys meet?"

Kokoda and I chat, swapping stories about Kurama. I'm proud of myself for remembering to call him Shuichi each time his name comes up, even though it feels weird on my tongue. The days when I only knew him as Shuichi Minamino seem so long ago, and I'm so very glad, in all honesty. He's both Shuichi and Kurama, and I'm one of the privileged few who get to see him juggle two lives and know the whole truth.

As we approach the library, I spot red hair and a pink uniform that I had honestly missed seeing him in. He's got his nose in a book, but he looks up when he hears us approach, a placid smile on his face. When he sees me, however, surprise shows for the briefest of moments before it's replaced with a wry smile.

He closes the book, heading over to us. "Dare I ask," he says to his mother, "how you managed to rope Asaki into our plans for the evening?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Shuichi," Mrs. Minamino says. "She was helping Kazuya and when I asked her to come with us, she agreed."

"On a separate note," I add, "I can't say no to your mom, apparently."

"Duly noted," she says with a smile.

"And that feels like a threat." Everyone laughs and we keep moving, the adults deciding where we're going to eat. Kurama falls into step with Kokoda and me, a smile on his face.

"Sick of me yet?" I whisper.

He chuckles. "Not at all. I was actually wondering how you've been managing since I saw you last."

"All right," I reply. "I have so much work to catch up on that it isn't funny. I'm...stressed, but I think I'll be able to finish it all before too long." What I don't say is that I think my chances of getting a scholarship are getting slimmer and slimmer. It doesn't look good to potential schools when a student misses massive chunks of the year, even if it's supposedly due to family illness.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help," he replies.

"You can hit Yusuke and Kuwabara over the head tomorrow for me." He raises an eyebrow and I say, "We're all going to Kuwabara's to study, but I don't know that I'll be able to get them to focus on my own. If you don't think it'll be dull hanging out with junior high kids, you should come." I give him a cheeky grin, and he shakes his head with a smile.

"As though there's ever a dull moment where those two are concerned."

"Plenty with me, huh?"

He looks away from me and up at the sky as he says, "Time with you is interesting in a different way."

Before I have a chance to ask him what he means, I see two men heading our way looking thoroughly lost. "E-excuse me," one of the men says, his Japanese sounding really broken. "Do any of you speak French?"

"Sorry," Mr. Hatanaka says. "Only Japanese."

The others echo this sentiment, but I step forward, asking in French, "I do. What can I help you with?"

The two men shoot rapid-fire French at me, asking for directions, which I give, sending them on their way with a smile. When I turn from them, it's to find four pairs of stunned eyes staring at me.

"You can speak other languages?" Kokoda asks.

"Uh, yeah. My father is a big businessman, and he often has clients from other countries that he expects me to mingle with. I can speak several languages. It...um, it isn't a big deal?" I'd never really thought it was useful, but I'm being stared at like I'm something special all of a sudden.

"That's incredible, Asaki!" Mrs. Minamino says, beaming at me. It's off-putting, and I'm not sure how to react.

"I-I guess," I say, nodding. "Anyway, they just wanted directions."

"Well, I'm glad you could help them," she says, still smiling. We start walking again, thankfully, and I lag a step behind everyone else.

"And you were looking at me like I was crazy for reading English," Kurama says, deliberately keeping pace with me.

"I can't read other languages," I tell him, still feeling uncomfortable.

"Asaki, relax," he says, touching me lightly on the shoulder. "I don't want you to feel uneasy with us. No one here is trying to hurt you."

"I know that," I hiss. "But who's going to stop me from hurting myself?"

He doesn't respond, instead striking up a conversation with Kokoda that I half listen to. They talk about school and friends, things like that. Apparently, Kokoda is a junior high student as well, in his second year at another school in this part of town. I wonder if he plans on going to Meiou to follow after Kurama.

We get to where we're apparently going to eat, and I swallow hard. One meal at this place is probably the same price as rent for a month. As though sensing my sudden discomfort, Kurama whispers, "I'll pay for you. Don't worry."

My first instinct is to decline, but the look on his face is so serious and concerned that I find myself nodding instead. "Thanks, Ku...Shuichi." He gives me a smile at my near-miss, and I poke him in the shoulder, making him chuckle.

Settling into our seats, I take a deep breath as Mr. Hatanaka starts asking me questions about myself. This is familiar. Plenty of my father's clients wanted to know about the weird girl who spent large chunks of her life locked away. Putting on a confident mask, I force myself to be charming and witty, making my way through the pleasantries like a champ.

As much as I hate having to rely on things I learned under my father's care, I have to admit that they often come in handy. There's a blissful pause in the chatter when the waiter comes to take our orders. I know Kurama's aware of how cheap the meal I order is, and I wonder if he'll lecture me later. Could be fun….

The conversation flits all over the place, but eventually, it finds its way back to me in the worst possible way as Mr. Hatanka says, "So, you said your father is a businessman. What does your mother do?"

I feel ice trip down my spine, but I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice level as I say, "Oh, she's not alive. She passed away about a week after I was born."

"I'm so sorry!" he says, suddenly looking incredibly sad. It's pity and guilt in his face...two things I really don't want to see.

"It's fine," I reply. "It was a long time ago, and it's not like I remember her." Longer than the fourteen years I wear on the outside, that's for certain. There's no way they could know that, though.

"It must have been hard without a mother," he says. "I am very sorry."

I shrug. "You had no way of knowing, and really, it's all right. I had many people to look after me, so I had no lack of supervision." I realize I worded that oddly, so I add, "It's in the past. I'd rather look forward now."

Just then, our food arrives, and I excuse myself to go to the restroom. I splash water on my face, sighing as I think. It's early December. I hate this month more than any other, and I'd been hoping that maybe I could just skip it altogether this year. Then again, that's my wish the last day of November every year.

When I get back to the table, everyone is eating and talking happily again, and I join in as though nothing ever happened. It's easy to forget pain for a little while as long as you pretend it never existed.

* * *

A/N: Welcome back to normal! I know that Hatanaka's son is also named Shuichi, but I've been going for anime-accurate (for the most part), so we're going with Kokoda. Asaki's list of "abilities I wish I didn't have courtesy of my father" keeps growing. Eventually, I hope she'll come to terms with the idea that they're her skills, regardless of how she acquired them. There's going to be a focus on relationships between characters for a while.

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose and AmericanNidiot for the reviews :)


	32. Study Buddies

Kuwabara grins when I tell him I invited Kurama to come study.

"Awesome! He's super smart, so I bet he knows all sorts of super-secret study techniques!"

"Right," I drawl, shaking my head. "Actually reading the material would be a good start. And showing up to _class_!" I grab Yusuke by the back of his jacket as he tries to sneak off. "I will tell Keiko on you if you bail. The only reason she isn't coming along is because she has student council work."

"Geez, _Mom_ ," Yusuke grunts. "I was only going to take the long way there."

"Yeah right, Urameshi," Kuwabara says. "That's the short way to your house. You're just gonna be a delinquent your whole life, aren't you?"

"You wanna fight? I haven't punched you in a whole day, and I'm starting to get itchy about it." He raises a fist that I catch, glaring at him.

"I will burn your fingers off," I growl.

"Stupid fire demon bull crap," Yusuke grunts, yanking his hand away. "I bet I could beat you at hand to hand fighting."

"We can spar another day," I say. "However, no amount of fighting is going to prevent us from at least cracking a book today."

"Damn, Urameshi. She got you," Kuwabara laughs. I raise an eyebrow at him, and he crosses his arms. "What? I'm not afraid of you."

"You don't have to be," I reply. "However, I happen to be good friends with a certain ice apparition who might be interested in hearing about the way you treat your other friends." Kuwabara swallows, and I sigh. "That's what I thought."

"Whipped," Yusuke coughs.

"You have no room to talk-"

"Okay, we're here!" I shout, jumping between the two of them. "Get inside that house before I lose my mind, please."

They huff but do as I say, and I look up at the gray sky, shivering. It's getting colder and colder, but my irritation keeps me warm. Stepping inside, I'm met by Shizuru who is shaking her head at Kuwabara. "Hey, kiddo," she says when she sees me. "You must be some kind of masochist to put yourself in the same room as these two weirdos."

"I am aware," I reply. "I get a kick out of making my life harder than it needs to be."

"Get help," she says.

"Eventually."

"Anyway, I'll bring you guys some snacks later, so get some work done." She turns and makes her way into the kitchen as I follow the guys up to Kuwabara's room. My orange-haired classmate sits down on the bed while Yusuke belly-flops onto the ground, making the floor shake.

"Watch it, Urameshi!" Kuwabara snaps.

"It looked like it could use a good beating," Yusuke mumbles, face still pressed into the ground.

"The floor looked like it wanted a beating?" I ask.

"Yes," he says, rolling over and sitting up. "Got a problem with that?"

"You must really want to pick a fight with me today," I say, sighing as he gets to his feet.

"I'm kinda curious if fire's the only thing you've got."

"You can't hit a girl, Urameshi!" Kuwabara says.

"I don't think demons count," is his reply as he sinks into a fighting stance.

"Do you ever think?" I ask him. "This is neither the time nor the place. This room is way too small for-"

"Excuses, excuses," he interrupts, grinning smugly. "I knew you were too chicken. Did my fight with Toguro scare you?"

I take a deep breath, letting it out as fire pools in my hands. "Like you scare me, little boy."

"Little-"

"This does not look like studying." I jump at the voice behind me, and Yusuke immediately drops his stance, looking chagrined at the serious expression on Kurama's face as the fox demon steps into the room.

"You're not wrong," I tell him, dousing my flames and settling on the floor. "Yusuke apparently wants to make an ass of himself trying to beat me up. You made it just in time to spare him the humiliation of getting beaten by a girl."

"Yeah, right," Yusuke snaps, crossing his arms as he sits down too.

"You know, Asaki, you sound a lot like Hiei sometimes," Kuwabara grumbles as he steps out of the room. He comes back a moment later with a short table that he sets in the middle of the room.

"Whatever," I snap, changing into human form. I lay back on the ground, putting my bag over my face. "You guys all suck."

There's some rustling, and I sit up, surprised to find all of the guys sitting around the table, my classmates pulling out their homework. Kurama raises an eyebrow at me, and I roll my eyes as I pull out the stack of work I still need to do.

"Holy crap, Asaki!" Yusuke cries. "Why the hell do you have so much work?"

"You missed a little over a week," I snap. "I missed three months. That, and I actually care about my studies. I'm sure you didn't do a thing while training with Genkai." Grabbing a pencil, I get to work. Kurama pulls out a book and reads.

Once every couple of minutes, one of my classmates asks a question that either the fox demon or I help them with. Pretty soon, I've finished about half of my pile, but the guys are still on their first assignment. With a sigh, I put my things back in my bag and scoot over to Kuwabara.

"Like this," I say, showing him an easier way to solve the problem he's working on.

"Oh, yeah! Thanks, Asaki!" Kuwabara manages to get the next couple right on his own before he gets stumped again. Together, we make it through the first assignment, and Kuwabara flops back onto the floor.

"Wanna spread the love?" Yusuke grumbles. "Turns out Kurama's a terrible teacher."

The red-haired demon shrugs. "I'm sorry, Yusuke, but your stupidity is beyond me."

"I will hurt you."

"All right," I say, smiling slightly. "Let's see what your damage is. If I can help Kuwabara, I'm sure you're not a lost cause."

"Gee, thanks," Kuwabara says.

"You're welcome." I sidle over to Yusuke, and while he's just as clueless as Kuwabara, eventually we finish his work too.

"Maybe you should teach fox boy over there how to teach," Yusuke says. Kurama thoroughly ignores this comment, his nose in his book.

The door opens, and Shizuru comes in, hands on her hips. "Any luck helping these knuckleheads?"

"A bit," I reply. "Turns out they're only so hopeless."

"All right, well, I've got snacks for you guys in the living room. Break time."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks Shizuru," Kuwabara says, waving his sister away.

"You're asking for it, little bro," she replies, taking a step into the room.

"Sorry!" he cries, sitting up and putting his hands in front of his face. "Just don't hurt me, okay?" She huffs, making her way out of the room, and Kuwabara gets to his feet. "All right, let's go watch TV or something."

"Hey!" Yusuke cheers. " _That_ I can get behind."

They head out of the room, and I sigh. "I guess the fact that they got any work done is a miracle."

"You're probably right," Kurama says, closing his book and standing. He offers me his hand, and I take it, stretching.

"I can't feel my legs," I mumble, as I follow him out of the room. We make our way into the living room where the other guys have already settled in, the TV on, playing some kind of trivia show.

"This counts as studying, right?" Yusuke says, laughing as he shoves a cookie into his mouth.

"Not hardly," I reply, sitting beside him. Kurama takes a seat beside me, and we chat during a commercial beak. When the show comes back on, the host asks a question. Before he even gets halfway through it, I answer.

"How did you know?" Kuwabara asks, looking at me like I'm crazy.

"Lucky guess," I reply, proceeding to do it again. When the next question comes up, Kurama answers it before I do, and I look over to find him smiling. Despite the innocent expression on his face, there's a challenge in his eyes.

Over the course of the next half hour, the two of us spit out answers as quick as we can, constantly speaking in tandem as we try to beat the other to the punch. Halfway in, Yusuke turns to us and shouts, "Could you two shut the hell up? We're trying to watch here."

Kurama and I exchange a look before we both start laughing. "Sorry," I say, a grin on my face.

"I suppose we got carried away," Kurama says.

"You guys are freaks," Yusuke growls. "How the hell do you know all that stuff anyway?"

"You guys keep underestimating how boring my childhood was," I reply.

"I happen to enjoy trivia," Kurama says, smiling.

It's at that moment that I hear a meow. Turning, I spy a cat making its way over to me. "Oh my," I say, holding out my hand. It sniffs my palm before burying its nose in it, and I squeak. "Oh, you are so beautiful." The cat climbs into my lap, and I stare at it, eyes wide.

"That's weird," Kuwabara says. "Eikitchi doesn't usually like strangers."

"You are the single most adorable creature ever," I say to the cat, running a hand over its back. It purrs, and I grin. "Kuwabara, I'm kidnapping your kitty."

"Over my dead body!" he shouts. "You can hold her, but she's my cat."

"That's what you think." I stroke her head, rubbing between her ears, and the purring gets stronger. "Oh, geez."

"Have you never seen a cat before?" Yusuke asks.

"Never this close," I reply. "She's so small and soft."

"Would you pet any animal that climbed into your lap like that?"

"If it's friendly, small, and soft, I'm going to go with yes."

"So, what if Kurama became a fox and did that?"

I raise an eyebrow as Kurama rolls his eyes at my side. "Ask me again when that happens," I reply.

"I promise I have no intention of reverting anytime soon," Kurama drawls.

"Wait, so were you actually a fox once?" Kuwabara asks as Yusuke starts digging around in a drawer in front of the TV.

"Believe it or not," he says.

"I bet you were scary back then too," I tease, smiling cheekily.

"All three feet of me." He smiles too, and I snort a laugh.

"Urameshi! Don't just go grabbing my stuff like you live here!" Kuwabara yells. Yusuke has pulled out something weird that I've never seen before and is hooking it up to the TV.

"I'm bored, so I'm going to play games," Yusuke grumbles. I watch, confused as whatever he's hooking up projects something onto the screen.

"What is that?" I ask only to be met with three surprised stares. "I swear, you guys are starting to irritate me with that," I growl. "If it's something anyone with a normal childhood might have experienced, assume I know nothing about it."

"You've never played a video game before?" Yusuke asks.

"No," I snap. "I have no idea what that is."

"Damn, Asaki. Well, come over here, and I'll show you how this works." He pats the spot beside him, and I shift over, eyes on the screen as he gets into the game.

The next couple hours are spent with the guys all teaching me about video games. They show me how to hold a controller and how to play a fighting game, about things like health bars and combos. I try a few times, failing miserably. After questioning why you can fight as a panda, I watch Yusuke whip Kuwabara's butt and then go 1-for-1 with Kurama a few times before they let me try again. I'm not any better, but I actually manage to land a few hits.

After a while, I put down my controller, sighing. "I give. Are there any other video games than this?"

"Tons," Yusuke says. "This is the only one Kuwabara has though. The things are really expensive."

"Huh." I glance toward the window, jumping to my feet. "I didn't realize it was so late. I should probably head home."

"Damn, you're right," Yusuke says. "Later, Kuwabara."

"Thanks for having us over," I say, bowing a little when we reach the door.

"N-no sweat," he replies. "Thanks for all the help! I feel like I'll definitely remember all that stuff you taught me. Maybe you should be a teacher."

"Pass," I reply, smiling. "All the ones I've had have been miserable. I'd hate to be like that. Anyway, tell Shizuru thanks for everything!"

"Likewise," Kurama says, and the three of us step out into a cold winter night. I immediately swap to demon form, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Dang it, it's cold," I grunt, lighting a small fire under my skin to keep me warm.

"It's that time of year," Yusuke grumbles.

"I find it refreshing," Kurama says, "although, it's remarkably difficult to grow anything in this weather."

"Does that mean you can't use your Rose Whip?" Yusuke asks.

"That I grow with my own energy. It's only dependent on me." He pulls a rose from his hair, twirling it between his fingers before passing it to me.

"I'm going to have a forest of these," I mumble, staring at the dark red bloom.

"You can't have a forest without trees," Yusuke says. "Duh."

"It's a figure of speech, moron," I snap, but I find myself smiling anyway. Yusuke leaves us at the next block, and I sigh, looking up at Kurama. "You don't have to walk me home, you know."

"I do," he replies, but he keeps walking with me anyway.

I shrug, rolling my shoulders. "Suit yourself. I'm not responsible for fox-sicles."

"Fox-sicles? Was that the best you could do?"

"I thought it was pretty good, in all honesty." I skip a few steps, turning to face him. "There's always Shui-cicle. Or Kur-icicle." I frown. "Nah, it's definitely fox-sicle."

He laughs, and a different kind of warmth pools in my stomach, making me feel like I'm walking on air. "The others are more creative, I think," he replies.

"It's too easy with my name," I say. "An As-icle."

He smiles. "Fair enough. By the way, do you have any plans for Christmas?"

I frown, looking at him with a confused expression on my face. "What's Christmas?" He raises an eyebrow, and I laugh. "I'm kidding. I know what Christmas is." I sigh. "My usual Christmas plans involve doing my best impression of an As-icle." He looks at me with sad eyes, catching my meaning, and I shrug. "For some reason, around this time of year, my very existence offends my father.

"Anyway, I have absolutely no plans. I was just going to read or something."

He nods. "My mother and Kazuya are going on a date Christmas Eve, so I'll be home alone. I was wondering if you'd mind keeping me company."

"That sounds infinitely better than sitting alone at home. Probably in the dark because I can't remember if I paid my electric bill."

"I really can't tell if you're being serious anymore," he replies, a weary smile on his face.

"Me neither," I say.

"Oh, and my mother wants you over for Christmas Day too."

"Kurama, I can't decide if your mom actually likes me or if she thinks I'm a charity case. Does she know I'm okay?"

"Really, she does. I think she's just fond of you. It's not as though she has a daughter of her own, and I haven't been the best son for most of my human life." His expression goes bitter for a moment before he sighs.

I poke his shoulder, leaving my finger there and staring at it before I say, "If it's any consolation, she is well-aware of how much you love her. And, I really don't mind if she wants to think of me like her own kid. It's not like I had a mom." As these words slip out, I jerk my hand away from him, eyes wide.

"I-I mean…." I scratch my head, sighing. "I don't know why, but I always end up telling you more than I want to."

He shrugs. "It's all right, Asaki. Anything you tell me stays with me." He squeezes my hand gently, and I let out a shaky breath.

"It doesn't really bother me as much anymore that I only had, like, half a parent. But your mom is so nice, and it's stirring up all these old feelings." I lift our joined hands, staring at where our fingers interlace. His hands are larger than mine, his fingers slender, but they're rougher than I remember. Calluses?

"I can assure you, my mother's intentions are good. If you let her, she'll be more than happy to look after you like she did me." His green eyes are warm as he speaks, and I wish I could just fall into them. Instead, I free my hand, looking down at my upturned palm.

"I'll be there on Christmas too," I tell him, smiling weakly. "It'll be my first Christmas with an actual family. I'm both nervous and excited."

He smiles. "I'm glad you're excited." He holds up his pinky to me, and I stare at it, waiting for words to accompany the gesture. "I promise you'll be all right with us."

I slide my pinky in his, smiling. "At least that one's pretty easy to keep."

* * *

A/N:Two points for anyone who knows what the video game I referenced is. This chapter was a nice change in pace, just everyone hanging out. It was relaxing, and I hope it was fun to read as well. I appreciate Asaki knowing the gist of Christmas but being unaware that Christmas Eve is a romantic holiday in Japan. Is Kurama taking advantage of that, I wonder? Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose, AmericanNidiot, and LinIsSleepy for the reviews!


	33. Christmas Eve

I'm panicking. It's Christmas Eve, and I'm supposed to be at Kurama's in an hour, but I have no idea what to...wear? This is the single weirdest day of my life since I left my father. I've never really cared what I look like or how others saw me, mostly because my appearance was a construct or a tool so my father could achieve an end. However, today, it's all me.

I've been trying to convince myself that I don't care an awful lot if I look good in front of Kurama. I spent most of the morning wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, dead-set on going to his house like this. Truth is, I do care. He always looks so sharp, to the point where my heart nearly hurts to think about it, and I want to look even an ounce as put-together as he does. Part of me, a very small part, just wants him to think I look pretty for once.

In the end, I just get so frustrated that I put on nice jeans and a cute top, nearly setting most of my clothes on fire in my agitation. This is so stupid. It's just Kurama. I'm just hanging out with him, alone, which I've done plenty of times before. But...it's going to be the two of us at his house with no one else around.

I already know there's zippy chance of anything happening. Not only is Kurama an honorable kind of guy, but I'm the one with the crazy-getting crazier-out-of-control feelings. If his mom thinks of me like a daughter, I must be his kid sister. That thought only serves to make me crankier, and I throw on a jacket, gloves, a scarf, and my hat, leaving in a huff only to be buffeted by a cold gust of wind.

"This blows," I growl, forcing my fire to keep me warm. It's a wonder my clothes don't burst into flames with how hot my skin is. There's a little snow on the ground from the night before that melts as I walk past. I hope no one is paying too close attention as I dial back the warmth a little. A very little.

When I get to Kurama's house, I swap into human form, just in case his mom's still home, and knock on the door, immediately regretting the lack of warmth. Kurama opens the door, a smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, Asaki," he says, stepping to one side. I dash past him, leaning against the wall as I try to warm up. "Are you okay?"

"I _hate_ the cold," I hiss, rubbing my hands together.

"Sorry," he replies. "Come on, I'll take you to the living room and then find you some blankets." He takes my still-gloved hand, and I suck in a breath. I can feel the heat of his hand through the material, and my stupid heart starts beating faster.

I've never been anywhere in this house other than the kitchen, so his living room is new to me. He gestures for me to sit on the loveseat stationed in front of a TV, which I do, looking around. It's small but cozy, with a reclining chair off to one side, a small table in front of the loveseat, and a bookshelf covered in both books and...pictures.

Drawn to the frames, I get up, still shivering a little, and make my way over to them. The first one I see is of a small, red-haired boy, maybe five years old, holding a woman's hand. It must be Kurama and his mom. They look so cute together, and I find myself smiling. The next one is a slightly older Kurama, maybe 12 years old, with short red hair. He's elbow deep in dirt, flowers blooming all around him.

"Nosy?" I jump as a blanket falls around my shoulders. Turning, I see Kurama standing beside me, a smile on his face.

"Sorry," I say, stepping away from the pictures.

"Don't be," he replies. "They're rather nice photos. My mother took most of them."

I nod, not sure what to say. "You were a cute little kid…. What happened?"

He chuckles, shaking his head. "That was pretty weak."

"Let me warm up, and I'll think of a better one." Now I'm smiling too as we make our way back over to the couch. I settle in, wrapping the blanket snugly around me.

"Mother and Kazuya left a half hour ago, and they'll be gone until late, so we'll be on our own for dinner. I can make something for us, if you think you can stomach my cooking."

"Didn't know you could cook," I mumble, taking off my gloves.

"A little," he replies. "I did most of it when my mother was sick, not that long ago."

"Oh, yeah, she mentioned that once." I give him a smile, removing my hat and burrowing deeper into my blanket. "I guess I can trust you with the evening meal."

He smiles, saying, "Am I to take your slow disrobing as a good sign?"

"I can still go home, you weirdo," I mumble, covering my face with the blanket. "I am a defrosting burrito."

This time, he snorts, and I find myself grinning. "All right, Burrito," Kurama says. "What would you like to watch?"

I poke my head out so I can take off my scarf, frowning. "I don't know. The last time I watched a movie, was…." I count on my fingers. "If you don't count that abomination Koenma sent us for rescuing Yukina, it's been two years?"

"All right," he says. He gets up, and I slide the blanket off so I can be rid of my coat, finally warm enough to function properly. Kurama digs in a cabinet under the TV, pulling out a handful of VHS tapes. "Take your pick," he tells me as he grabs the things I've shed.

"You don't have to do that," I say to his retreating back as he goes to put them somewhere out of the way.

"Just pick," he replies as he disappears from sight.

I sigh, looking over the tapes. Some of the titles aren't in Japanese, and I frown, shaking my head. What kind of movies does this guy watch? I grab two that look interesting.

When Kurama comes back, he looks at the movies in my hand, smiling. "Those are both good, although I haven't watched them since I was little."

"Fine," I say. "You pick something, then."

"I'm not complaining," he replies, taking them from me. "They're children's movies, but I thoroughly enjoyed them. I can't imagine a few years will have changed that." He puts the first one in before coming to sit beside me.

At first, I'm hyper-aware of how close we are on this small couch-if I scoot over even an inch, we'll be touching-but once the movie starts, I all but forget about my viewing companion. It's a cartoon about two young sisters and their father living in the country. The kids get into all sorts of troubles, eventually meeting the most adorable mythical creature that looks out for them. It ends with a cutesy song that will inevitably be stuck in my head for the rest of the night.

"What did you think?" Kurama's voice brings me back to his living room, and I look at him, feeling a little silly for getting so absorbed.

"It was fun," I reply, smiling. "Really cute and innocent."

"Agreed," he says. "This next one is by the same director, so I think you'll like it as well."

He's right. It's another cartoon, this time about a young witch who leaves home to find her way in the world. My favorite character is the talking cat, in all honesty. He's cheeky and honest, two qualities I seem to find appealing. When it's over, I sigh, content.

"If you looked anymore peaceful, I'd be afraid you'd fall asleep," Kurama says, smiling.

"I'm wide-awake," I reply, sitting up straight and poking him in the side. He jumps, eyes wide. I grin, proceeding to poke him again.

"Careful," he says, grinning impishly. "I don't recommend tickling foxes."

I poke him again, and he swats at my hand, making me shift away...and fall off the couch. Everything happens so fast, and the next thing I know, I'm on the ground, Kurama's hand on the back of my head, protecting it from cracking on the floor. He's kneeling over me, and I feel my face go bright red, my heart pounding so fast it's hard to breathe.

 _So close, so close, so close._ I can feel the heat from his body.

"Asaki, are you all right?" he asks, apparently completely indifferent to the position we are currently in. As if I needed more proof he has no feelings for me.

"F-fine," I say, and his eyes widen.

"Ah, sorry!" He sits up, shifting away from me at the same time that I scoot away from him, every inch of me burning with embarrassment and discomfort.

"I-it's okay," I mumble. "Thanks for catching me."

"No problem." He gets to his feet, not looking at me as he says, "I'm going to go start dinner."

"All right." He leaves the room, and I feel tears prick at my eyes. Dammit, why am I so stupid, getting all flustered over something like that? I made him so uncomfortable. Maybe if I could just keep my hands to myself, I could avoid making an ass of myself for _once_!

Getting to my feet, I wander to the door in the back of the room that leads outside, pulling it open and switching to demon form. It's snowing now, but I'm burning so hot with anger and embarrassment that I can't feel the cold. Standing in the backyard, I look up at the sky as I kick up my heat.

"Dammit!" I grunt, aiming a fiery punch at the sky. The flames don't travel far, but the heat does, instantly melting the fluffy flakes of snow...and soaking me to the bone with the water left behind.

"Asaki!" Kurama's standing in the doorway, looking at me like I've thoroughly lost my mind, which I guess I have because I start laughing. I double over, laughing so hard I can't breathe for probably a full minute before I get ahold of myself again.

"I don't know why I didn't expect that to happen," I say, grinning, most of my exasperation washed right out of me.

Kurama shakes his head, sighing. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Let me inside?" I ask, smiling sheepishly. "It's kind of cold out here."

He sighs. "Obviously. Come on." Turning, he heads back in. I follow, using my heat to dry my clothes and hair before I step over the threshold, turning back into a human.

"Sorry," I say. "I wanted to look at the snow." It's a weak lie, but Kurama lets it slide.

"You can do it just as well from in here, can't you? I don't want my guest turning into an As-icle."

Oh, no. I'm even more in love with him than I was two minutes ago. I grin as I grab my blanket, pulling it around my shoulders. "I promise, I won't do it again tonight."

"I guess I'll have to accept that. Anyway, dinner will mostly make itself if you want to pick another movie."

"You choose," I tell him. "I want to know what kind of movies Shuichi Minamino likes."

I can't read the look on his face as I say these words, but it makes me wonder what's going through his head as he turns away from me, picking a movie and putting it on. We settle back on the couch, and I suppress a shiver of warmth as he takes my hand in his.

"Cold," he says, squeezing my chilly fingers.

"Mm-hmm." I can't focus on anything with his hand wrapped around mine at first, but soon, I'm following the movie with rapt interest. It's in English with subtitles, but while I can't read it, I can speak it, so I follow along with both at the same time.

This movie is definitely not meant for children, with shooting, blood, and a criminal mastermind that has me wanting him dead from the get-go. Apparently, it's a Christmas movie, although, I'm not sure if merely taking place during Christmas time counts. Kurama gets up periodically to check on the food, but every time he comes back, he takes my hand in his again, keeping me warm with his touch.

Who needs blankets when the person you love is holding your hand? I'm practically melting.

The movie ends, and Kurama puts the finishing touches on a dinner I can smell from the living room. I go to join him in the kitchen, surprised to find, of all things, ramen. It looks professionally made with pieces of chicken perfectly set in the broth. I raise an eyebrow at him, making him smile.

"I hope you don't mind. Ramen is good when you're feeling cold."

"Ramen is always good," I amend, settling in. After the first bite, I find myself finishing it in no time flat. "I feel like I've been cheated," I say. "Apparently, the best ramen place in town is your house."

He laughs off my compliment, but I can tell he likes the praise. "Appreciated, but not true."

"Whatever you say," I reply, smiling. He takes our bowls over to the sink, but I bump him to one side. "Let me at least do something tonight," I say as I start filling the sink with water.

"Asaki, you're my guest," is his rebuttal. "You need only relax and enjoy yourself."

"I would relax better if I helped." He rolls his eyes but doesn't complain as I start to wash the dishes. However, he rinses them when I'm done, so I guess I half-win. Then again, there's something really sweet about doing such a mundane task with him. I'm left feeling warm and ridiculously happy. I can't remember the last time I felt this good. Certainly never on Christmas Eve.

When we're done, Kurama puts on another movie, this one a Christmas cartoon. It's happy and cute, the plot really simple, and at one point, I find myself falling asleep, my head landing on Kurama's shoulder.

"Ah, sorry," I say, yawning. "Maybe I should go home."

"It's all right," he replies. "Do you think you can make it to the end?"

"Probably," I tell him, even as my eyes droop again. I have the strangest dream that I'm leaning against Kurama and his arm is around me, keeping me warm and safe while I sleep.

…

I open my eyes, feeling disoriented. _Where am I_? Sitting up, I slowly come to the horrible realization that I'm still at Kurama's house. "Oh, please, no," I whisper, throwing the blanket someone must have covered me with over my head. That stupid jerk didn't wake me! _Stupid fox stupid fox stupid fox!_

Footsteps approach me, and I wrap my arms around my knees, still under the blanket. _Just go away._ Instead, a finger pokes my head. I don't move, and it happens again. On the third time, I grab the wrist attached, the blanket falling off my head to reveal Kurama, a perfectly innocent expression on his face.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he says, smiling brightly.

"I hate you," I grumble, dropping his wrist. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"I tried," he says, shrugging in defeat. "You must have been very tired. Nothing I did worked."

"I don't believe you," I grumble, running a hand through my hair. I'm sure it's a right mess, which is great. So much for wanting to look good in front of this jerk.

"Shuichi, have you seen my spatula?" Mrs. Minamino comes into the room, her face breaking into a smile when she sees me. "Good morning, Asaki! How did you sleep?"

"Fine," I reply, my face growing red in embarrassment. "Although, I think it would have been better in my own bed." I toss a glare at Kurama, but he's just smiling like there's nothing mortifying about this situation.

"That's partly my fault," Mrs. Minamino says. "Shuichi told me he'd tried to wake you, but I told him it was all right for you to stay here." She smiles, looking a little guilty, and I sigh.

"It's fine," I mumble. "However, I really need to go home." Her face falls, and I put up my hands in my defense. "I'll come back. I just need to shower and change. I don't really like the idea of hanging out in the same clothes again."

"At least have breakfast before you go," she says, smiling.

"I'm all right," I say, getting to my feet. "I don't usually eat breakfast." Also known as, I can't afford breakfast, so I've learned to live without it.

"Nonsense. No one in this house is allowed to leave without a good breakfast."

I stare at her retreating form, thoroughly defeated. "I don't understand parents," I manage, sighing. "Is this normal?"

"I believe so," Kurama replies. "It's just food; it won't kill you."

I'm so out of my depth here. I follow Kurama, settling down at their kitchen table and eating the delicious breakfast his mom has made. After that, I get to my feet as quick as I can, hoping to get a break from being in over my head by working on my own terms for a little while.

"Shuichi, walk her home, will you? You can pick up a few things for me on the way back."

Damn.

* * *

A/N:This chapter was so much fun to write, if a little hard to get a good tone for. There are so many references in here, which I also enjoyed sliding in. Asaki clearly doesn't think this is a date, but Kurama...maybe he thinks otherwise, huh? More shenanigans to come! Also, the game from the previous chapter was "Ranma 1/2: Hard Battle"

Thanks for reading, and thanks to YukinaBlueRose and AmericanNidiot for the reviews!


	34. Can't Hide

As Kurama and I close the front door of his house behind us, I swap to demon form, sighing. "Your mother is as sweet as sugar, but I swear she'd make one heck of a criminal mastermind."

"Why is that?" he asks, laughing.

"Because she's so crafty. I like how she sent you with me like she's worried I won't come back unless you drag me."

"I think you're looking into this too much."

"And I think you're full of crap."

He doesn't say anything at first, and the silence falls between us, heavy like the snow on the ground around us. "Asaki, are you really that mad at me for not waking you?"

"No," I grunt. I kick some snow, turning it to water with the heat from my body. "I'm sorry. This is my least favorite day of the year, and it makes me really really agitated."

"Might I ask why?"

"No," I repeat, crossing my arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

He sighs. "I'm sorry, Asaki. If there's anything I can do to make you feel better, just let me know, all right?"

I nod, and we walk on in silence for a while. When we get to my apartment, I stare at the door for a long time, thinking.

"I can wait out here," Kurama says.

Shaking my head, I pull out my key. "It's too cold for that. Just…." I look at him, feeling a little helpless. "Keep in mind I'm dirt poor here."

"As though that matters to me," is his reply.

I smile weakly, feeling a little heartened by his words as I open the door. It's really not an awful place. It's clean, at least. The biggest problem is that it's run-down, with only one room. My clothes are folded in a pile in one corner, my blankets neatly placed next to my pillow. The heat is set just high enough that the pipes won't burst since I keep myself warm with my fire, so I turn it up to prevent Kurama from freezing while he waits.

"I won't be long," I tell him, standing in the doorway to my bathroom, watching him look around the place. "There are some books over there if you get bored."

He nods, still looking around, and I step into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind me. This place is really small. Why is he scoping it out like he's expecting something? Sighing, I swap to my human form, turning on the hottest water I can bear.

I take maybe fifteen minutes, forgoing a bath, and blow drying my hair. I wish I could access my fire in human form so I wouldn't have to worry about how long that simple activity takes. Normally, I wouldn't bother, but it's cold outside, and if I have to hang out as a human all day, I don't want to have wet hair.

I step out of the bathroom, fully-dressed, to find Kurama sitting near my makeshift bed, Shiro by his side, a book in his hand. He looks up as I walk toward him, a soft smile on his face that makes my heart beat a little faster.

"Shiro bites strangers," I tell him.

"We're kin," he replies, and I snort a laugh.

"Cute." Picking up my stuffed fox, I toss him high into the air, catching him and spinning around once, like we're dancing. "All right, Shiro. Be good while I'm gone, and maybe I'll get you a Christmas present."

Kurama's still smiling at me, so I toss Shiro at him. He catches the little guy, setting him gently on the ground before getting to his feet. "Ready to go?"

I nod. "I spent that whole time steeling myself for my first Christmas with decent people. I don't know if I'll make it through the day."

"Don't worry," Kurama says. "I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it lest you inflict another penalty on me."

My face goes red as I recall the last penalty, which, while not bad for me, was horribly embarrassing. "I'll hold you to it," I manage, changing into demon form. "All right, let's head out."

That shower made me feel better, and, despite the cold, I kind of feel like skipping. Not that I will, with Kurama by my side. "I think I need practice calling you Shuichi," I tell him, frowning.

"I've told you before, it doesn't matter to me what you call me," is his reply.

"I guess not, but you'll always be Kurama in my mind." We keep up a steady stream of chatter in which I call him Shuichi as much as I can as we make our way to a grocery store, picking up everything Mrs. Minamino put on the list she gave us.

On our way back to Kurama's house, a familiar voice makes me stop short. "Shuichi! Shuichi, wait!" Turning, I see Haruka running toward us. My eyes go wide, and my heart pangs at the sight of this girl I haven't seen in nearly four months.

"Hello, Haruka," Kurama says, smiling at her.

"Hey, have you seen Asaki lately?" Which is when I realize she doesn't recognize me in this form. I feel a little sick.

"I saw her a few days ago," Kurama says. "She's only just gotten back from helping her father again."

"Thank God," Haruka says. "Well...will you tell her we miss her? Everyone at the bakery, I mean. And...we're still waiting for her to come back."

"I will," he tells her, nodding.

"Thanks." She looks over at me, suddenly suspicious. "Who're you?"

"Oh, um, just a friend. My name's Asa...mi. Asami." Dammit.

"She's a classmate of mine," Kurama says.

"Got it." Haruka looks away from me, her eyes dismissive, and I suppress a sigh. "Anyway, good seeing you. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he replies, and she runs off in the other direction. When she's gone, Kurama's hand finds mine, and I look up to see concern in his eyes.

"That sucked," I tell him, tears evaporating on my cheeks.

"I know what you mean," he says, squeezing my hand. "I'm so sorry." There's something infinitely comforting about a person who knows what you're feeling without even having to ask. Without thinking, I rest my head against his chest, tears streaming from my eyes. He lets me cry, his other hand finding my free one. After about a minute, I step away, forcing a smile.

"Okay. That's all the sadness I'm allowed today. Bring it on, Christmas!" I shout to the sky. "I'm going to win today! You can't keep me down!"

Kurama keeps hold of one of my hands, and we walk like that the rest of the way to his house. When we get there, I change into human form, stepping inside to find Mr. Hatanaka and Kokoda are already here. They greet us warmly, and Mrs. Minamino takes the groceries from us and heads off to the kitchen.

I follow after, and she requests my assistance with cooking. Apparently, we're making handmade fried chicken, which is something of a Christmas staple food, I guess. My father usually just has a feast with the finest meats imported from all over the world. I don't know that I've ever even had fried chicken.

After a little while, Kurama joins us, the other two guys in tow, the latter of which immediately get banished to the living room. Too many cooks spoil the broth, or something like that.

With the three of us working, I start to feel a little strange, almost like...well, a part of the family. We work really well together, and no one complains about a guest helping today. When all the food is done, we have an early dinner, after which we play cards, something I've just come to terms with the fact that I'm terrible at.

"Asaki, what games _can_ you play?" Kokoda asks me, teasingly.

"Not a lot," I reply, smiling. "I've always been halfway decent at chess and Go, but that's about it."

"I can get the chess set if you want," Mrs. Minamino says.

"Oh, um, okay." Which sparks a sort of chess tournament where everyone plays against me. I beat Kokoda and Mr. Hatanaka handily. Mrs. Minamino provides a little more of a challenge, but pretty soon, I've defeated her too.

"I feel like we were tricked," she says, smiling. "If that's halfway decent, I wonder what your opinion of excellent is."

Kurama's chess skills are my idea of excellent. We square off, moving our pieces slowly and deliberately, our turns taking longer and longer as the match progresses. In the end, he barely beats me, each of us only having a few pieces left.

"That's the closest I've ever seen a match against Shuichi," Mrs. Minamino says, surprised.

"You almost had me," he adds, smiling.

"That's the first time I've lost in a long time," I tell him, stretching. "It's refreshing."

"She's a better loser than we are too," Kokoda mutters, making us laugh.

Eventually, we end up in the living room, the adults sitting on the couch and the rest of us on the floor, watching TV. After a little while, Mrs. Minamino gets up, clapping her hands together. "I think it's time for cake," she says.

"Awesome!" Kokoda and his father say at the same time, making me laugh.

We all get up and follow Kurama's mom into the kitchen where we find her pulling out a beautiful strawberry shortcake from the fridge. She holds it up for us to see, but as she takes a step forward, her foot slips, and the cake slides from her hands, splattering all over the floor. We stare at it for a moment, stunned as the mood in the room suddenly goes south.

"Oh, no," Mrs. Minamino says. "I'm so sorry, everyone. It just slipped."

"It's all right, honey," Mr. Hatanaka says, moving to comfort a shaken Shiori Minamino. Kurama goes to her side as well, and Kokoda starts cleaning up the cake. No one even notices me slipping out the door.

…

I already knew it wasn't really about the cake. The way everyone reacted to it falling made it very clear to me that Mrs. Minamino's happiness was the priority of each person in that room. However, I also knew it would be about the cake for her. Guilt, sadness, and the knowledge that her own clumsiness had spoiled something everyone had been looking forward to.

With that in mind, I run as hard and as fast as I can, using my demon form for the extra stamina, racing to the nearest store and making my way back to the house. I knock on the door, changing forms and suddenly feeling exhausted. I'm panting when the door opens to reveal a surprised Kurama.

"Asaki! Where did you go? We were worried."

I hold up my shopping bag, sliding past him without a word and slipping into the kitchen. I drop the bag on the counter, turning as he follows me. "Shoo," I say.

"I'm sorry?"

"Get out," I tell him, physically pushing him back the way he came. He stares at me, eyes wide, and I say, "Kitchen is off limits until further notice, unless you want to become toast. Got it?"

"Asaki, what are you doing?" Instead of responding, I turn and walk away, heading back to the counter. When I look over my shoulder, he's gone.

Good. I pull out the ingredients I bought, sighing. The hardest part of this is going to be finding all their cooking supplies, but once I do, I start in earnest. Mrs. Minamino pokes her head in at one point, and I shoo her out too, promising she'll have her kitchen back in one piece when I'm done.

It takes a while to prepare, and I manage to drop a bowl on my foot, making me jump and sending Kurama my way again. I toss a strawberry at him, and he immediately retreats to the safety of anywhere but here. After I finish baking and putting together and decorating, I stand back to admire my handiwork.

Deciding it's passable, I head out into the living room to find everyone watching TV again. All eyes fall on me, and I take a deep breath. "Kitchen's open."

They get up, looking a little confused, and I find myself feeling nervous as I follow them in. However, I'm immediately rewarded with the gasps of surprise at what's waiting for everyone on the kitchen table.

"Asaki!" Mrs. Minamino cries, wrapping me in a hug that leaves me speechless. She steps away, a look of pure joy on her face as she turns to grab plates for the strawberry shortcake I've made. I blink away tears, surprised, and I wipe my eyes. I've never been hugged like that before, and I don't know what to do. It was so warm.

Kurama walks over to me, taking my hand, and I look up at him, bowled over by the warm smile on his face. "You never cease to surprise me," he says, his voice low. He squeezes my hand softly before helping his mom pass out my cake.

"I can't believe you did all of this!" Kokoda says, eyes wide as he takes a bite. "It looks professional."

"Oh, no," I protest.

"He's right," Mr. Hatanaka says. "Where did you learn to bake like this?" Kurama passes me a slice of cake and I take a bite, smiling.

"I used to work at a bakery, and while my cookies are suspect, my cakes are usually pretty good."

"Asaki, this is wonderful," Mrs. Minamino says. "How can I thank you?"

I shake my head. "It's my Christmas gift to you all for making this day so much fun. Easily the best Christmas I've ever had."

Mrs. Minamino smiles, hugely even as her face goes a little red. "I'm so happy, Asaki."

"Me too. However, on that note, I should probably head home. It's been snowing for a while, and I want to get back before it gets too bad."

"You could always spend the night again," Kurama says, and I try to elbow him, but he dodges.

"Pass. I need my own space, thank you very much." I say my goodbyes, wishing them a Merry Christmas as I make my way to the door, well-aware of the shadow behind me. "You don't have to walk me home."

"I want to," he states, his voice brooking no refusal.

I shrug, heading out the door, Kurama right behind me. It's snowing rather fiercely now, and I shudder, immediately swapping forms and heating up the air around me. "One of these days, I'll get used to it," I mumble. "I promise, I'll get used to the cold."

"I'm sure you will," he says. "By the way, how much was that? I know finding those ingredients this time of year wasn't easy."

"Doesn't matter," I reply, even though he isn't wrong. It ended up costing about a month's worth of rent, but the looks on their faces was totally worth it. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. When I'm living on the streets, I might regret it, but for now, I'm happy.

"Asaki," Kurama chides.

"Merry Christmas," I say, smiling. "It wouldn't be a Christmas gift if you tried to pay me back for it."

He sighs. "If you insist."

A screeching sound hits my ears, and I flinch as a strangled voice calls, "Delivery!" Looking up, a giant deformed bird flies over our heads, dropping something that I catch, frowning. It's a letter with my name on the front.

"What on earth?" I gingerly open it, instantly wary of anything delivered via giant, horrifying bird. The envelope is really high-quality paper, and the letter inside is as well. As I read the contents, I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me.

"Happy birthday, my beloved," I mumble, the words turning to ash on my tongue, even before the _coup de grace_. Black flowers sprout from the page, billowing onto my hands and falling to the snow beneath, an ugly black stain on a perfectly white world.

My brain shuts down, and all I can see are those four words, echoing in my head, over and over again. I don't know how long I'm staring at the page before something grabs my hand. In a panic, I burn hot, fire springing into my palm, and while whatever grabbed me lets go, it's the gasp of pain that brings me back to the present.

Kurama is staring at me, eyes wide as he cradles his burnt hand, and I gasp, tears in my eyes as I realize what I've just done. Without a word, I dash off into the night, running as fast as my legs will carry me.

I can't believe I did that. _I burned Kurama_. What the hell is wrong with me? I change into human form, taking off my gloves, hat, scarf, and jacket, the cold rushing at me from all sides. Punishment for the horrible thing I just did. I find a tree to sit under, burrowing into the snow. It's just not cold enough. Even as I start to lose feeling in my hands, I cry because it's not cold enough. I deserve worse.

Just then, I hear footsteps, and before I know it, the snow is brushed away from me, revealing an incredibly pissed Kurama. He grabs me by the hand, yanking me to my feet and wrapping his arms around me.

"L-let me go," I whisper.

"No," he growls. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"I hurt you." My voice breaks on the word, and I struggle, but his grip is unyielding.

"I don't care." I've never heard him sound so angry. I can't tell how much of my trembling is from the cold and how much is from fear.

After a long moment, Kurama steps away from me, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the nearest shop. It's warm enough that it makes my skin sting, and I wonder if it wouldn't hurt me if I could feel pain.

The shop sells coffee and snacks, and Kurama buys us both hot chocolate before forcing me to sit at a table. He sits across from me, still very clearly angry. "Don't _ever_ do that again. I don't care what you've done to me or anyone else."

I nod, reaching for his burnt hand. My body is still moving slowly, and I can tell I've done some damage with the cold. Kurama sighs, extending his palm to me. I take it, sending healing energy his way until the burn is just a memory.

"I-I'm sorry," I say, staring at our linked hands.

He sighs, pushing my hot chocolate toward me as he removes his hand from mine. "Drink slowly. If you warm up too fast, you'll only hurt yourself more."

I do as he says, immediately burning my throat and swallowing wrong, resulting in a coughing fit. When I can finally breathe properly once more, I look up to find Kurama analyzing me with those piercing green eyes.

"I think I'm due an explanation," he says, his voice calm and controlled.

I nod again, staring down at my cup. "Where do I start?" He doesn't respond, and I sigh, gripping my hot chocolate tightly. "Um, so, it's my birthday. And, for a long as I knew him, on my birthday, he would send me a card. All it would ever say is 'Happy birthday, my beloved', and it always came with those flowers. Burn Flowers."

Kurama nods. "Not the best choice to convey good sentiments."

"He thought they were _funny_ ," I croak, taking a sip of my hot chocolate to try and calm the roiling in my stomach.

"And who is 'he'?"

I look up at Kurama, swallowing hard as I growl, "Hide."

Kurama sighs. "When was the last time you spoke to him?"

"Just before I left my father's the first time. He was begging me not to kill him." I sigh. "Apparently, that was a mistake."

"I wonder why he's chosen now to do this," Kurama says, frowning.

"I don't know, but I wish he would just leave me alone. I've been doing fine without him. Hasn't he hurt me enough?" I dig a hand into my soaked hair, whispering, "When will he be satisfied with breaking me?"

After a moment, Kurama gets up, offering me his hand. I take it, and he leads me from the shop, back out into the cold. I change into demon form, suddenly wishing I hadn't been so stupid as to shed my jacket earlier. Kurama's right to be mad. What the hell is wrong with me? Who could possibly want to be friends with someone so broken?

We stop outside a shop I've never been to before, and Kurama says, "Wait here." I nod dumbly, keeping myself warm as best I can. He's not gone long, but when he returns, there's a bag in his hand. He slides something out from inside, and hands it to me.

I stare at the box, confused. It looks like the kind of thing that would hold jewelry, but that doesn't make sense. I open the lid, dumbstruck by what I find inside. It's a necklace on a fine chain, but that's not what catches my eye. Hanging in the center is a silver rose….

"Kurama, what…?" I look up at him, confused, but he merely smiles, taking the box from me and removing what's inside.

"Don't move," he says, and I freeze in place as he comes around behind me, his hands grazing my neck as he puts the necklace on me. I don't know that I'll ever be cold again with the heat his touch just sent through my body. "Happy birthday," he whispers into my ear, and I gasp, turning to look at him. His smile could melt solid steel.

I step away, flustered. "You didn't have to get me anything," I tell him, even as my hand finds the charm, holding tightly to it.

"I know," he says. "It's not much, but I hope it's better than what he gave you."

I shake my head, finding myself smiling. "Of course it is, you stupid fox."

He laughs before his expression suddenly grows serious. "As much as I dislike your father, I can't entirely wish for his death as he's part of the reason you're alive. However, if I ever see Hide, I _will_ kill him."

His words hit me hard, and I swallow, nodding. "I won't stop you." Standing in the cold, snow still falling around us, I get this weird feeling that Kurama will in fact be the one to end Hide's life. Maybe I'm just crazy. With any amount of luck, I'll never have to see that bastard again.

The two of us head back to my home at last after going on a hunt for my things. We manage to find everything except for my hat and one glove, and I shrug them off as lost. As we walk back to my house, I wonder if those Burn Flowers aren't covered in snow themselves right now. It's no fault of those flowers used to mourn the demon dead that I can't bear the sight of them.

"So, when's your birthday?" I ask Kurama, managing a smile now that I'm covered properly for the weather around us.

He raises an eyebrow, and I know what he's thinking. I didn't tell him about mine, so why should he tell me? However, Kurama doesn't say it, instead telling me, "The 29th."

"Of December," I say, frowning.

"Yes."

"Well, shoot," I grumble.

"More notice than you gave me," is his retort, and I sigh.

"I am well-aware, but can you blame me? My birthdays have never been anything other than miserable."

"For very valid reasons, but I certainly hope most of today was good."

"It really was," I say, smiling. "I'm not sure what I did to deserve the kindness of you and your mother, but I'm really really glad."

He shakes his head. "All you did was be yourself."

"Yeah, well, this is the first time that's worked out for me." I tug on the end of my braid, frowning as my apartment building comes into sight. "Well, damn."

"What?"

I stop walking, turning to face him. "I've never actually had this happen before."

"Asaki," he says, frowning. "What is it?"

"I don't want today to end." I smile sheepishly, and he stares at me, eyes wide. I can't tell if it's just the cold or if he's blushing, but I've never seen this expression on his face before. "Did I say something wrong?" I ask, suddenly feeling nervous.

"No, no," he says, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. "I'm just...really happy to hear you say that."

Now I'm blushing too, and I don't know what to do as we stand here, looking at each other as snow flurries around us. I shiver, and Kurama sighs. "All right, let's get you inside."

"Right." He walks me up to my door, and I give him a smile as I say, "Good night, Kurama. Thank you so much for the best birthday I've ever had."

"You're welcome, Asaki." His expression is so warm and tender that I feel it all the way to my toes as he says, "Happy birthday."

* * *

A/N: BAM! This chapter was a punch in the gut to write, and I hope it was like that to read as well. I don't like to imagine exactly how terrified Asaki got when she saw that note from Hide. I just want her to be happy! After burning Kurama, she jumps in the snow as a punishment because even after all this time, she thinks of the cold as a necessary way to suffer for what she's done. That thought is crazy to me. It's so ingrained in her from everything her father did.

(It occurs to me that I might have wanted to clarify the way Hide's name is pronounced. It's "He-day")  
Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to Sidako, YukinaBlueRose, and YuYuHakushoObsesser for the reviews!


	35. Good Luck, Lover

When I wake up the next morning, I roll over, staring at the necklace Kurama gave me, glinting in its open box. I was so overwhelmed last night that I didn't fully process the magnitude of the gift and what it meant. It's a rose, which will immediately make everyone think of Kurama. If I wear it out in the open, our friends are going to get the wrong idea, and I don't feel like explaining that it's just a gift between friends.

However, there's not a chance I won't wear it. It's my first real birthday gift, and it means so much to me. In the end, I decide to tuck it under my shirt. This way, I'm wearing it, but no one will know except for me.

I grab Shiro, hugging him tightly as I steel my resolve for the new day. There's something I want to try, but I'm going to need access to Spirit World's library. With that in mind, I call for Botan.

She appears out of thin air, smiling hugely at me. "Asaki! How was your Christmas?"

"Surprisingly nice," I say. "I spent it with Kurama and his family."

"Ooh," she purrs, going all cat-like on me. "Was it a _date_?"

"If hanging out with his mom, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's son counts as a date, then yes."

"Oh, that's no fun," she says, shaking her head. I decide to omit Christmas Eve. Botan would probably think that was a date. I've already decided Kurama just thinks of me like a little sister anyway. No need to explain that to her.

"Do people in Spirit World celebrate Christmas?" I ask her.

"Oh, no. Business as usual up there."

"Lame." We both sigh, and I smile a little. "Hey, I have a favor to ask of you."

"I'm happy to help," she tells me.

"I need to visit the library in King Enma's castle."

Botan's eyes go wide, and she frowns. "Why would you need that?"

"I need to look up how to make something I read about once a long time ago, but it's not a Living World kind of project. My father had a book about it, but I'm not going to his house. I figure Spirit World's library likely has the same book."

Botan nods. "That's probably a safe assumption. What are you looking to make?"

"I can't remember what it's called, but it's going to be a gift for someone. I promise it's harmless."

"I don't know if that will convince Koenma, but it's worth a shot." She summons her oar, gesturing for me to get on the end. I do so, albeit very hesitantly; I grab her around the waist as she kicks off from the ground and we soar into the sky.

I've never been to Spirit World HQ, but it's a lot bigger than I expected. Botan leads the way into the castle, no problem, which I find impressive. It makes me wonder, once again, how old she is and how long she's had this gig.

Botan knocks on a pair of giant doors, and a speaker clicks on, Koenma's voice asking, "Who is it?"

"Botan and Asaki," the blue-haired girl replies.

There's some sound from the other side of the doors before the blue ogre that had been hanging around at the Dark Tournament opens them for us. "Ladies," he says, gesturing for us to come in.

We step inside to find Koenma lounging in a chair behind a desk, a mountain of paperwork nearly covering him. "Welcome," he says, standing on the desk so he can see us.

"Koenma, Asaki has a favor she wants to ask," Botan tells him, turning to me.

"What can I do for you?" Koenma asks. "I am rather powerful, so I can manage just about anything."

Bragging? He's going to find my request disappointing, I guess. "It's nothing major. I just wanted to use the library here."

"Aww," Koenma whines. "Here I was thinking I'd get to be cool. You're the only friend of Yusuke's who hasn't insulted me or come asking for anything yet, so I was hoping I could show off."

"Sorry," I blurt, bowing. "I really, really need to do some research on something, and I know you have an amazing library. I promise, you won't even know I'm here."

"Easy there," Koenma says, and I raise my head to find him standing in front of me. "I don't know how much help it'll be, but you're welcome to use it. Books aren't really my thing anyway." He claps his hands together, and the ogre is at his side in an instant. "Jorge. Show Asaki to the library."

"Yes, sir!" the ogre says, snapping a salute. "Right this way, Miss Asaki." I follow Jorge out, bowing once more to Koenma and Botan before the doors close. "You seem like a very nice person, Miss Asaki," the ogre says, smiling at me. "The way you were always helping everyone during the Dark Tournament was awesome!"

"Uh, thanks," I say. "But I'm not really anything special. Just...right time, right place."

"I don't know about that. I'm just a simple ogre, but I know if I'd been in your shoes, I'd have run scared every time."

I shrug. "You know, running kind of gets old after a while. Maybe it seems easier at the time, but when you look back, all you feel is shame."

"I know what you mean," Jorge says. "My mother always lectures me on how I'm not brave enough and how I should get a new job. One more suited for scaredy-cats, I mean."

We reach the door to the library, and Jorge lets me in. "Just ring this bell if you need anything, and one of us ogres will come to your assistance." He passes me a tiny golden bell that I pocket before thanking him and heading inside.

The room is massive, and I start to wonder how I'll find anything in here, when I notice giant signs hanging above each of the shelves and on the walls. There's a section for all three worlds, and I sigh. Demon World's area is probably the best place to start.

It takes me about an hour to find the section on fire magic, and even longer to find non-offensive spells. Eventually, I pull out the book I'm looking for. The cover is different, but I remember the author's goofy signature inside, just two giant letters, a Y and a T. Settling down at a table, I flip open the book, tearing through it until I find the spell I'm looking for: The Inner-Flame Charm.

The spell looks insanely difficult, and it involves so many parts that I'm not even sure where to begin. I ring the bell, asking the ogre who comes for paper and pencil before setting to work translating the old Fire Demon language the spell is written in. I'm not versed in many Ancient Languages, but Fire and Ice were two that interested me immensely as a child. I don't know that any demon even uses them anymore, but sometimes old books are written in them.

A tiny part of my brain asks me if all this work is going to be worth it just to make Kurama a birthday gift. I could just buy him something from any store, make him a cake or something. The rest of me pushes that thought away, sighing. Maybe this is going to be serious overkill, but...I think the end result will be worth it.

Inner-Flame Charms carry the wish of the creator inside them. If I succeed in creating one and wish for Kurama to be safe and happy, it'll be like a good-luck charm for him. That is, if he even accepts it.

 _No, don't think like that. Focus on the task at hand_.

In the end, I have to search for a few books to translate more obscure words, and between translating, searching, and writing it all out, most of the day is gone already. I've filled ten pages of paper that I realize I've somehow gotten out of order, and I sigh as I go back through the book, numbering my translated pages so I don't mix them up again.

After that, I get to work on the technical aspects of the spell itself. I don't think I had any concept of just how difficult this kind of magic is, let alone truly ancient spells. Here I find even more terms I don't understand, so I have to once more go on a search for books that can explain things to me. By the time morning comes, I'm stiff from sitting and my head feels heavy, so I jog a few laps around the library to wake myself up before getting back to work.

Botan comes in around the middle of the day, frowning. "Asaki, have you eaten anything?"

"Not hungry," I mumble, finding another word I don't understand and scribbling down its meaning. I swear, this page has more footnotes than a textbook. I hope I've done a thorough enough job.

"Did you even sleep last night?"

"Not tired."

"Asaki, I'm a little worried. What on earth are you working on that requires so much attention?"

I look up at her. "It's a birthday gift for Kurama," I say, remembering that the word I'd just annotated shows up in a later page too, and I dig through my work until I find it.

"He wouldn't want you to make yourself sick just to make him a birthday present," she chides. "When is his birthday?"

"The 29th."

"Oh. I see why you're in a rush, but regardless, why don't you just do something simple?"

"I wish I could," I tell her, looking up from my work once more. "But he's done so much for me, and once I got this idea in my head, I couldn't shake it. It's just the start of paying him back for his kindness. Besides, I like a good challenge."

Botan shakes her head. "You're so painfully in love, aren't you?"

"Every time he says or does something, I feel like I'm falling deeper and deeper. I'm worried it's going to swallow me one day." I grip my pencil tightly before dropping it onto the table.

"You'll be all right, Asaki. You're a strong girl, and I know you won't lose yourself that easily."

"Thanks," I say.

"Question for you. What would you do if Kurama confessed he loved you right now?"

My face goes red, and I stare at her, confused. "C-confessed? Love?"

"Yes, you silly thing."

I swallow hard, shaking my head. "While that wouldn't ever happen, I would probably run the other way."

"Why is that?"

"I'm not ready to be in a relationship with someone. I don't know if I ever will be. Until I can at least begin to come to terms with my past, I don't trust myself with someone else. It would be so easy to just dump my problems on another person's shoulders and let them carry things for me. Then, I really would lose myself."

Botan nods, sighing. "All right, Asaki. But if that day does come, I hope you'll be prepared."

"Thanks. But I'm pretty sure he just thinks of me like a sister anyway." With that, I dig back into my work, ignoring Botan's _tsk_ ing. She doesn't have to agree with me, but she also doesn't know all the details like I do. Maybe she thinks a relationship between Kurama and me is possible, but I really don't. At least, not the way I am now.

The next day passes, and I ignore the offers of food and a comfy bed that get proffered rather regularly. My body complains, but I don't have time to take a break. The spell apparently takes a long time to channel, and if I don't start soon, there's no chance it will be done in time…. And even then, that depends on if I possess the strength and conviction.

It's early in the morning when the door opens again, but I don't look up from my notes as I ponder what the best medium for drawing this kind of magic circle will be. It needs to have a higher melting point, but not so high that I can't melt it with the amount of energy I have to put forth.

I'm focusing so hard that when whoever came in pulls up a chair in front of me, I don't notice until they tap me on the head that anyone is even there. I look up, eyes wide to find Kurama sitting across from me, a frown on his face.

"Asaki."

I pick up the nearest book, holding it up so I can't see him. "Nope. No Asaki here. Nothing but books."

There's a beat of silence before he says, "Then I don't suppose the books will mind if I read these interesting notes." He reaches for one of my papers, and I drop the book, grabbing his hand.

"Don't touch."

"Ah, looks like you were here after all." He slides his hand away from mine, gesturing to all of my notes. "What are you doing?"

"Working," I tell him. "It's top secret."

"Be that as it may, you haven't been eating or sleeping," he says, reproachfully.

"How do _you_ know that?" I snap.

"Botan."

"Ugh." I lean back in my chair, glaring up at the ceiling. "Are you my babysitter?"

"Do you need one?"

"According to Botan," I grumble.

"I have to agree at the moment. You're going to make yourself sick like this, and then what will you do?"

"Be sick. Look, like I told Botan, I'm fine. I just need one more day, and then I'll be back to normal." He raises an eyebrow, but I cross my arms. "It's important. Feel free to be mad at me later, but I'm in too far to give up now."

Sighing, he leans back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. "I'll accept that on one condition."

"Which is?"

"I'm going to sit here for an hour, and you're going to sleep. I'll wake you when the hour is up."

"Kurama."

"Otherwise, I'm not leaving from this spot, and your secret won't be so secret anymore." I glare at him, but he just keeps that ridiculously neutral expression of his. He's easily got the best poker face I've ever seen, and it irks me.

"Fine. But you have to promise me that you won't read my notes while I'm sleeping."

"I promise," he says, nodding. "Now, get some rest."

Rolling my eyes, I pull all of my notes together, flipping them over to their blank side so I don't wake up with pencil on my face, and rest my head on the pages. It doesn't take more than a minute for me to fall asleep.

I can only assume an hour has passed when Kurama shakes me awake. Looking up at him, feeling even worse than before, I groan. "That did the opposite of helping, stupid fox." He gives me a smile, and I sigh. "Now, go away. I've got things to do."

"All right. Take care of yourself, Asaki. Everyone was talking about getting together for New Year's, and it would be a pity if you had to miss it because your work here made you sick."

"Uh-huh," I say, waving at him to go. "See you later."

He leaves, and I ring my bell, asking the ogre for chalk and something to clean the chalk with later. When he returns with what I asked for, I get to work, drawing a massive magic circle in the center of the library, placing hand-drawn wards on every flammable surface I can find along with a second ring around the first circle to serve as an extra precaution. Things are going to get pretty hot.

I sit in the center of the circle, folding my legs into a lotus pose, closing my eyes. _Here goes._ I don't know how long I'm sitting there, channeling my energy into fire, chanting the words in the ancient Fire Language. Eventually, my words blend with the fire around me, and all I can hear is a roaring in my ears.

Just as I reach my energy limit, the fire around me turns clear, and I hold out my hands as, slowly but surely, a small, blue vessel appears. It looks like glass, but according to the spell, it's solid fire. That's half of the battle over. The next part is a little trickier.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, focusing on my Inner-Flame. For a fire demon, the Inner-Flame is what makes them who they are. It's the reason we exist, and if it goes out, we die. Naturally, because of this, it's incredibly difficult to separate any part of it from the demon's body.

Which is exactly what I'm trying to do. Looking inside myself, I see it, burning brightly, somehow both very small and very powerful. I can feel the latent energy, crouching like a tiger just before it pounces. I'm both amazed and a little scared. _Is that really me?_

Focusing back on the task at hand, I poke and probe, looking for a place where my fire might be willing to separate. The book had said, "search your chakras", something I knew very little about and consequently had to research. Apparently, there are seven, and each one means something different, although I've managed to completely forget all of them. I still remember most of the names, which is something, I guess.

It takes a long time; that's understandable, all things considered. In the end, a tiny sliver of flame from my Heart Chakra leaps out of me, and even with my eyes closed, I can see it floating in front of my face. I look at it, finding myself smiling. It's so small, but it gives off such warmth. It makes sense that my heart would be willing to give a little of itself away to the man I love.

I hold up the flame-glass vessel, and my tiny piece of flame slides inside. Staring intently at the two together, I hold my breath, begging this to work. If my conviction isn't strong enough, my intent not pure enough, and my wish not good enough, the vessel will shatter, sending my Inner-Flame scurrying back inside me. I need to just believe in myself and my feelings.

With both hands, I cover the little charm, breathing gently on it as I wish as fervently as I can for Kurama's happiness. Then, I close my hands around it, raising the fire around me, my own personal kiln. I hear a popping noise, and I open my hands, breathing a sigh of relief. It's worked. I made the Inner-Flame Charm.

The fire inside of the fire-glass is flickering merrily, and I grin, tucking it into my pocket and getting to my feet. The world swims for a moment, and I fall to my knees, exhausted. That used up so much energy. All I have to do is clean up my mess, find Botan, and go home. Then, I can rest.

I wipe up the chalk, taking down the wards I'd placed and making my way over to the table where all my notes are still piled. As I pick up the book written in the old Fire Language, a page falls out, and I frown, picking it up. I don't remember reading this one earlier, but as I look over it, my jaw drops.

"No way." I grab the book I'd used to translate, praying that I've just read things wrong, but no. I'm right.

I put the books away, tucking the notes I'd made in my pocket and racing out of the library. It's early morning, and I have no idea if I'll even find Botan, but I need someone to scream to about how stupid I am.

She's standing outside the door to Koenma's office, and I almost barrel right into her.

"Asaki! What is it?" I hold up the charm so she can see it, and her eyes go wide. "It's gorgeous, Asaki. You made this?"

I nod. "I spent all that time on it, but I can't give it to him."

"Why not?"

"Because apparently, it's a charm for _lovers_!" I wail, punching the wall. "I didn't read the entire spell, just all of the practical parts. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Oh, dear," Botan says, frowning. "Well, this is a Fire Demon thing, isn't it?" I nod. "And it's really old?"

"Probably a couple millennia."

"Well, then you're fine. Kurama won't know that it's meant to be a gift between lovers."

I blink, stunned to silence. "Botan, you're brilliant."

She grins. "Why, thank you. Now, please tell me you're ready to go home and sleep. It's three in the morning your time on the 29th. You can sleep and still have plenty of time to give Kurama his gift."

"Yeah," I say, immensely relieved. It'll be all right. I really only mean this gift as a good luck charm, so there aren't any hidden intentions behind it… Just ones I'm too slow to have caught onto in time. "I'm ready to go."

* * *

A/N: Hi, there, author here! (That's an old reference) So, I know it's been a little bit since I last updated. Classes have started up again, so it's going to be slow-going for a while. I promise I'm still here, still working on it. Bear with me, and please continue to enjoy!

When I talked about this story with my friends, it bugged them that I was taking so long to get Asaki and Kurama together. I had to explain to them why I was doing this the way I am. Asaki was in a horribly abusive relationship. Everyone she's ever loved has mistreated her. She's not about to jump into the next guy's arms, even if she's crazy about him. She trusts Kurama now, but she doesn't trust herself. She doesn't want to get lost in another person again, and she doesn't want to share herself with someone when she's still as broken as she is.

So, I promise, it'll happen eventually. This slow burn will eventually come to fruition, but for now, please be patient with my poor girl as she tries to make peace with her past, who she is, and who she's going to become.  
Thanks for reading!


	36. Coming Clean

It's dark when I wake up, which isn't saying much for this time of year but still has me a little panicked. How long did I sleep? Is it still the same day? I leap out of bed, scrambling for the clock that I somehow kicked over while dozing. It's six at night, still the 29th. Thank goodness.

I get dressed in my warmest clothes, bundling up as best I can and wondering if I can't maybe afford a new pair of gloves when I realize I don't really have any way of finding Kurama…. If it's his birthday, maybe he's out celebrating it with his mom or some friends.

Sighing, I step out into the cold, immediately firing up. His house is probably the best place to start looking. Worst case, I just leave it on his doorstep or something. I think maybe we should get dog whistles for everyone.

Closing my eyes, I sweep the nearby area, looking for any unusual energy. Nothing but humans as far as I can sense, which really isn't very far. I open my eyes, feeling dizzy. Maybe I'm not completely recovered from earlier today. I'll have to be careful how much more energy I expend.

As much as I hate the cold, the town really does look beautiful covered in snow. It crunches under my feet, and I kick at some, sending it flying through the air. It glistens in the glow from the streetlights, and I sigh. Seriously, one of these days, the cold and I are going to learn to get along. Maybe Yukina can help me train to tolerate it better.

I'm about halfway to Kurama's house when I cast around for his energy. No sooner have I started reaching than I start feeling dizzy. My knees buckle, and I land in the snow, wondering if I'm going to throw up. It seems like a distinct possibility.

Taking slow, deep breaths, I shudder as my jeans get soaked from the melting snow around me. I'm too tired to get up, so I stay there, crouched down as I try to regain my head. Kind of stupid of me to think that a few hours of sleep would be enough to make up for two days without. My stomach rumbles too, adding insult to injury, and I punch the snow, melting it in an instant.

My flame gutters and then goes out, and all I'm left feeling is cold. That's when a hand falls on my shoulder, and I jump, looking up to see...Haruka.

"Are you okay?" she asks me, frowning.

I nod, forcing myself to my feet. She looks tired herself, and I wonder if she hasn't just gotten off a shift at the bakery. Standing here before her, I wish I could say something, anything to let her know it's me, Asaki, someone she might once have considered a friend. What kind of friend disappears for months at a time without telling anyone?

"Weren't you that girl with Shuichi the other day?"

"Oh, y-yeah," I say. "I'm actually looking for him now."

"He was just at the bakery I work at," she tells me. "I think he said he was on his way home."

"Really? Thank you, Haruka!" I grab her hand, squeezing it once before running off in the direction of Kurama's house. With my fire gone, the cold stings every inch of me, but at least I'm not on the ground anymore. Not expending the energy needed to keep me warm conserves enough for me to continue moving.

I'm not far from Kurama's when I spot bright red hair not too far in front of me. "Kurama!" I call, the cold air stealing the breath from my lungs. Taking another step, my foot sinks deep in the snow, and I fall on my face. "Dammit," I grumble, pushing myself up on hands and knees.

A hat falls on my head, and I look up to find myself face-to-face with the man I love. "You're freezing," he says, helping me to my feet, his hands gripping mine. After a moment, he slides off his gloves, holding my cold hands up to his face and breathing hot air on them.

I shiver at the feeling, my stomach doing backflips. He puts his gloves on over my hands, saying, "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you," I mumble, still feeling warm from his touch.

"You've found me," he says. "Come on." He tugs me along after him, and I follow without complaint, wondering why I keep letting him drag me places. If it were anyone else, I would probably be concerned about how complacent I am, but it's Kurama. I trust him implicitly.

He takes me to his house, making his way past all the places I've been before and back to a room I realize must be his. He gestures me inside, and I stand in the middle of the room, shivering from cold and damp even as I look around.

It's very sparse, much like my own room. There's a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf absolutely covered in books, but other than that, it's empty. Kurama told me he'd decided to live in Living World, but after seeing this room, it makes me think he's deceived even himself. He's still just passing through.

"Where's your fire?"

"Hm?" I look over to find him shrugging out of his coat and scarf. He grabs the blanket from his bed, draping it around me, and I quickly slide out of my own coat to keep his blanket from getting wet.

"Don't you usually burn when you're outside in the cold?"

"Ah. Well, I apparently used too much energy with my top secret project. I'm barely standing," I say, grinning.

He runs a hand over his face, and I almost laugh at how exasperated he looks. "Was it worth it?"

"Yeah," I tell him, reaching into my pocket. I hold my hand out in a fist toward him. "Here." He cups his palms beneath my fist, and I drop the charm, my fingers just barely brushing his skin and making my heart sing.

He looks at the charm, eyes wide before holding it between two fingers and inspecting it carefully. "Asaki…."

"Happy birthday!" I smile hugely, and he turns his surprised gaze to me. "It's an Inner-Flame Charm. Old Fire Demon stuff. Essentially, it'll serve as a good luck charm for you. I mean, that's what I was hoping. It's okay if you don't want it." I frown, feeling stupid as I look away from his bright eyes.

"It's incredible," he says, still looking it over. "How does the flame inside stay lit?"

"Oh." I feel my face grow warm as I say, "That's because it's mine."

"Yours?"

"Mm-hm." I pull my braid over one shoulder, fiddling with the end. "I took some of my Inner-Flame and put it inside, so it'll stay lit as long as I'm alive. If it ever wavers or goes out, then you'll know I'm either in trouble or...well, you know."

"Asaki, are you sure you want to give this to me?" I look up at him, confused, and he says, "This seems like a very important gift, something that shouldn't be given lightly."

"If you're under the impression I didn't think this through, you're wrong," I say, locking eyes with him. "I know exactly how powerful and special this is, and I understand that maybe it's hard for you to accept. Like I said, you don't have to. However, you're the most important person in my life right now, and I wanted to express that to you, somehow." I hold out my hand, raised toward the charm. "If that's not okay, I'll take it back."

He stares at my hand for a moment, and I realize I'm trembling. I can't believe I just said all of that, and I wish I could take back my words as well. His free hand finds mine as he says, "It's too late for that." He tucks the charm in his pocket, a strange smile on his face. "It's mine, for better or worse. I just hope you're prepared for the repercussions. I'm a dangerous person to be so important to anyone."

I nod, swallowing hard as I squeeze his hand. "We've been over this before. You don't scare me, Kurama."

Before I have time to react, he pulls me into his arms, and I gasp, my skin burning from his touch. He releases me after a few moments, smiling. "I can tell you're not afraid. You did willingly walk into a fox's den, after all."

I grin, taking off the hat he gave me and tossing it at him. "Not much of a den for a legendary fox bandit, is it?"

"I'm not sure what you were expecting," is his reply.

I open my mouth to retort when a weird feeling hits my stomach. "Shit," I grunt, throwing off the blanket. I don't have time to save his gloves as my body goes up in flames. Thankfully, I don't scorch the carpet or anything else in his room, but his gloves are completely toast.

The flames die down, and I stare at the ash I've left on his carpet, eyes wide. "I'm so sorry," I cry, panicked.

"Asaki, it's all right," he says. "What happened?"

"Some of my energy came back, though I don't know why. It usually doesn't just appear like that. I barely had time to not torch everything."

"Appreciated," he says, still frowning.

"I used to wake up in a bed of ashes when I was little," I tell him, frowning. "Made my father really mad, but I couldn't control it. I still can't apparently."

There's a knock at his door, and I hear his mother's voice from the other side. "Shuichi?"

Panicked, I change into human form, which is a huge mistake. My stomach lurches, and I fling the door open, pushing past a surprised Mrs. Minamino and practically diving into the bathroom where I hurl the contents of my empty stomach into the toilet. My face is hot, my body sweating, and I feel dizzy.

 _Don't black out. Don't black out. For the love of all things, don't black out._ I take slow, deep breaths, managing to stay conscious as my stomach stops trying to heave out things that aren't there. I flush the toilet, slowly getting to my feet and making my way over to the sink where I splash my face and rinse my mouth out. That was absolutely awful.

Taking a deep breath, my body feeling weak and shaky, I step out into the hallway to find Kurama and his mother waiting. Mrs. Minamino steps up to me, taking my hands in hers. "Are you all right?" She leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine, and I close my eyes, disconcerted by her proximity. "You don't have a fever, but your skin feels a little clammy. Let's get you to sit down."

She takes me into the living room, and I take a seat on the couch while she sits beside me. "I'm fine," I say when she asks Kurama to make me some tea. "Really, I'm all right now."

"You still haven't eaten, have you?" Kurama asks.

"Probably a good thing, considering," I mumble, feeling really embarrassed. Everything about this situation is mortifying.

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Mrs. Minamino asks. "We're celebrating Shuichi's birthday, and I'm sure he won't mind."

"Not at all," is his immediate response.

"Really," I say, holding up my hands weakly. "I don't want to intrude. I'm sure you just want a family dinner." The word "family" tastes like dirt on my tongue.

"Asaki, you're not intruding," Mrs. Minamino says, smiling gently at me.

"Think of it as another birthday gift to me," Kurama adds. "I would feel much better knowing you'd gotten some food in you before you go home."

 _Damn you._ I just want to go home. Sighing, I nod. "All right."

Mrs. Minamino gets to her feet, clapping her hands together. "The usual, dear?"

Kurama smiles. "Of course." With that, she leaves us, heading into the kitchen. Kurama settles in beside me, his expression suddenly falling. "What happened?"

"Fun fact," I mumble, swallowing hard. "Changing into human form requires a decent amount of energy. More than I rightfully should have had at that moment. On top of that, while my demon form can handle the crap I've put my body through lately, my human form happens to be quite a bit weaker. It hit me all at once, and…." I hang my head in shame, my face blood red.

Kurama brushes some of my hair out of my face, his fingers gliding across my skin, but I don't even have the strength to jump back. Instead, I look up at him, confused. "I know you want to go home," he says, his voice soft. "I know you're feeling out of sorts and unhappy, but I'm worried about you. Once you've eaten, you can go. And if it makes you feel better, I won't even walk you home, even though that goes against my better judgment."

I reach out a hand, poking his knee with one finger. We both stare at the point of contact, and I sigh. "Okay, Shuichi," I mumble, pulling my hand away.

"Other than that," he says, looking away from me, "I was rather hoping I could spend some of my birthday with you anyway."

"Could have gone better," I tell him.

"It could have been worse." I weakly punch his shoulder, and he smiles like the sun breaking through the clouds. It makes me feel a little better.

"I wonder what your charm looks like now," I say.

He pulls it out, frowning at the flame which has gone from a bright orange to a dull yellow. "Interesting."

"Maybe that means I'm sick." I hold out my hand, but he pockets it.

"I know what you're thinking," he says. "If I give it to you, I'm not getting it back."

Damn, he's good. "I didn't realize it would work like this," I say. "You don't really want something that shows you how I'm doing, do you?"

"You don't have a very good track record for being safe, so yes, I do."

"You're a jerk," I mutter, but his concern makes me happy.

"This might sound a bit tactless, but I have a question for you."

"I probably have an answer for you."

"Why don't your clothes get burned when you use your fire?"

He's right; that is a little tactless, but it makes me smile. "You know how I can make talismans and wards from pieces of my clothing? Similar principal. The longer I'm touching something, the less flammable it becomes. It's one of the reasons buying new clothes is hard for me, especially if I'm going to be in demon form a lot."

He nods. "That makes sense. I wonder if that works with people too."

Shrugging, I say, "Not a clue. That would be kind of hard to test considering two things: I can count on one hand the number of times most people have touched me, and I'd have to run the risk of burning those I care about, which I'm not interested in."

"Fair enough. Last question. Can you burn yourself?"

I look away from his piercing green eyes, digging a hand into my hair, grabbing it tightly for a moment as I nod. "When I first came here...after I left my father's I mean...I couldn't get Hide out of my mind…. All of the things he'd done to me. After maybe the second day, I burned all of the flesh off my body." I ball my hands into fists, shaking my head. "I thought if I got rid of any skin he might have touched, that would make me feel better. Cleaner."

"Did it?" he asks.

I nod. "For a little while. Eventually, I came to terms with the fact that as much of the scarring was psychological as physical...if not more so. But, for one brief moment, I convinced myself I was free of him."

"I'm sorry," Kurama says. "I didn't mean to make you think of painful things."

"It's not your fault," I tell him. "You had no way of knowing just how crazy I am."

"I don't think you're crazy, Asaki. Just...hurting and looking for ways to stop the pain." He sighs, reaching for one of my hands, gently uncurling my fingers from the fist I'd been making and running his fingertips over the marks my nails had bitten into my skin.

We stay like that for a while until Mrs. Minamino comes in the room. "Dinner's done," she calls, smiling.

Kurama and I get up, following her into the kitchen where I'm shocked, once again, at the sheer quantity of food. It smells delicious, and my stomach growls, making Kurama smile. "Jerk," I mumble as we sit down.

I eat really slowly, worried that if I don't, it'll come back up again. The conversation is light, and Kurama shows his mom what I made him, Mrs. Minamino making the appropriate oohs and aahs. Meanwhile, I find I'm having a hard time holding myself together. The two of them are really so sweet together, a doting mother and her loving son. A proper family, even without a father. It must be nice….

That's when I realize tears are streaming from my eyes. I try to wipe them away, but they won't stop. Shoot. What's wrong with me?

"Dear." I look up, surprised to find Mrs. Minamino standing beside me. She offers me her hand, and I hesitantly take it, glancing over at Kurama who gives me a slight nod. I can't read the expression on his face, but that's nothing new.

Shiori Minamino leads me into the living room, once again settling on the couch with me. She squeezes my hand gently before letting it go. "All right, dear. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I squeak. "I didn't mean to-"

"Asaki." I look up at her stern tone of voice, eyes wide. Her expression is serious as she says, "What's bothering you?"

Sniffling, I whisper, "You and Shuichi are so close. You love each other very much, and...it hurts to see. I'm so... _jealous_." I almost spit the word, disgusted with myself for admitting as much. "I don't have anyone who cares for me like that, and yet here I am, messing everything up for you two. If I wasn't here, you guys would have just had a nice night." I take a gasping breath as a sob finds its way out of my throat.

"Oh, Asaki." Before I have time to react, Mrs. Minamino pulls me into her arms, holding me close. My breath catches, but the way she's holding me makes me lose it entirely, and I break down, weeping into her embrace. She rubs my back while I cry, letting me get it all out.

When I'm finally too exhausted to cry anymore, she pulls away just enough so that she can see my face. She brushes some of my hair out of my face, giving me a sad smile. "You've been hurt so much, haven't you?" I must look surprised because she says, "It's in the way you carry yourself, like you're afraid everyone is going to try to hurt you."

I nod my head slightly, wishing I could deny it. Either I'm really bad at hiding it after all, or Mrs. Minamino is really perceptive. I decide it's the latter. No one else has called me out on it, though I'm sure Kurama can tell too.

"I can't take away the pain you've been through, but I want you to know that no one in this house will ever hurt you like that. You're a very dear friend of Shuichi's; he talks about you all the time. As for me...I've come to think of you like the daughter I never had." It's one thing to hear that from Kurama, but having the words come from the woman herself...I can barely breathe, I'm so overwhelmed.

"I'm very glad you're here with us, and I don't ever want you to feel like you're in the way because you aren't. You're welcome here any time, and I mean that." She sighs, letting me go entirely. "I know I can never replace your actual mother, may she rest in peace, but I hope you can at least think of me like a mother someday."

I cover my mouth with my hands as more tears start to flow from my eyes. "Mrs. Minamino," I whisper. I throw my arms around her neck, and she hugs me again, squeezing me tightly. _So, that's what that feeling was._ Everytime I just wanted to be around her or her smiles and thanks made me feel incredibly warm, it was because I was thinking of her like she was my own mother. I wanted to make her happy because I so desperately wanted a mother's love. Little did I know, she'd been trying to give me just that.

"Thank you," I whisper into her shoulder as she rubs my back once more. "Thank you so much."

"No, Asaki, thank you." She squeezes me tightly before pulling away. "Family may be flesh and blood, but that doesn't mean people who aren't can't also be part of that. Kazuya and Kokoda are part of my family too. And so are you."

I nod, smiling. "I'm glad."

"Welcome to the family, Asaki."

"I promise I won't disappoint you," I tell her, wiping my eyes.

She hands me a tissue, smiling. "I already know that. Now come on. I'm sure Shuichi is out of his mind with worry."

We get up, and I sigh. "I swear, I've cried in front of him so many times, I think he's given up on worrying."

"You may be surprised," she tells me as we head back into the kitchen. The table is clear, everything is put away, and Kurama is just finishing the dishes as we come in. "You see? He cleans really quickly when he's anxious."

"Mother," Kurama says, sounding, for maybe the first time since I've met him, exactly like the sixteen-year-old human he kind of is. Sighing, he dries his hands, looking at me. "Everything all right?"

I nod. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

He merely smiles. "I'm just glad you're feeling better."

"Me too. And now, I really should go home. I'm barely on my feet here." I frown, subconsciously reaching for a braid that isn't there. Sighing, I look up at Kurama, sheepish. "I don't suppose you could walk with me?"

"Of course."

We set off, and I change into demon form, feeling fired up. My energy is nearly back to normal, and I feel so much better than before that I skip a little as we walk.

"What did you guys talk about?" Kurama asks, smiling at my antics.

"Not a lot," I reply. "I mostly cried, and she set me straight." I give him an impish grin as I say, "I'm also pretty sure I accidentally became your little sister."

He frowns. "Is that a fact?"

"Mm-hm. Your mom said I can think of her like my mom too. Sorry, but you're going to have to share."

Sighing, he shakes his head. "I guess I can manage that." We walk along for a little while, and I find myself laughing. "Dare I even ask?" he says, sounding long-suffering.

"Can I call you _nii-chan_?"

"No."

His refusal is immediate, and I'm taken aback for a moment before I say, " _Onii-sama?_ "

To which he replies by chucking a snowball at me.

* * *

A/N: I just want to note for anyone who might not know that "nii-chan" and "onii-sama" are different ways of saying "brother" in Japanese. I thought it would be funny to have Asaki say this to Kurama who is, naturally, not happy with the girl he likes referring to him as her brother.

This chapter has one of my favorite moments of Asaki vulnerability that she shares with Kurama: how she burned her skin off in an attempt to wipe away the memories of the pain Hide caused her only to realize the injuries are more than just skin deep. Anyone who's been emotionally scarred in some way knows it's not nearly so "easy" to erase the pain. Asaki has been struggling with that and is slowly but surely coming to terms with it. The scars might not always heal, but that doesn't mean you have to let them keep you down. They don't define who you are.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed Asaki's induction into Kurama's family, and thanks to Sidako, YukinaBlueRose, and AmericanNidiot for the reviews!


	37. Fleeting Beauty

The next day finds me standing outside Seventh Leaven in human form, trying to convince myself to go inside. It's not fear so much as it is shame for the way I've mistreated my first friends here in Living World that's holding me back. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. If yesterday was any kind of example, people tend to surprise me. Here goes.

I step inside to find the front empty except for Kana at the register. When she sees me, she turns around, raising her voice the loudest I've ever heard it. "Asaki's here!"

Haruka pokes her head out of the back, her eyes narrowing as she points a finger at me. "You!"

"Me?" I ask, completely confused.

"Where the hell have you been?" she growls, walking toward me with a whisk in her hand.

"I'm sorry!" I shout, eyeing the whisk. "I've had some things to take care of, and I-"

"I saw Shuichi the other day. He told me you've been back from your dad's for almost five days. What took you so long to get over here?"

I stare at her, my heart suddenly much lighter. "I've been doing homework," I say, which isn't the only reason, but it's also not a complete lie. I'll have to thank Kurama for softening the blow by making my absence seem less than it actually was. "Are you going to whisk me away?" I ask her, pointing at the cooking utensil she's still holding rather threateningly.

She snorts, shaking her head. "That was pretty bad, Asaki." Lowering the whisk, she throws an arm around me, and I hug her back, smiling.

"I know. It's been a long past couple of months."

"Asaki Anno!" Mrs. Tendou comes out of the back, covered in flower, hands on her hips.

I bow to her as I step away from Haruka. "Ma'am."

"Grab an apron. We can talk while you work." She heads back into the kitchen, and I exchange looks with Haruka and Kana before following.

"Mrs. Tendou," I say as I put my apron on. She hands me some dough, and I start kneading. "I wanted to apologize for leaving you like this for so long."

"It's all right, honey. I understand you've been going through a lot lately." The rhythm of kneading the dough relaxes me, the sound like music to my ears. It's been so long, and I find I've missed it.

"I'd like to be able to come back, but I don't know when or if I'll have to leave again."

"That's fine with me." I look over at her, surprised. "We'll make it work. Honestly, I've just missed seeing your face around. You always brighten the place up."

I smile, going back to the kneading. "You're too kind to me," I tell her, smiling. "I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"Don't disappear on me without saying something next time, or I really will fire you," she snaps, but there's a hint of a smile on her face.

"Yes, ma'am!" I reply. "I promise I'll work hard."

"You'd better. I don't employ slackers!"

For the next five hours, I work my butt off, pumping out bread and rolls and cakes, all the things I'm pretty good at. Thankfully, no one asks me to make cookies. I think I've forgotten how to do them properly. Maybe I'll go back over to Kurama's and have his mom teach me again. My heart warms at the thought.

"All right, shift's up," Mrs. Tendou says, pushing me out of the kitchen. "Haruka, Kana, let the new girls take over. You guys enjoy the rest of the day." The three of us head outside as three older women I've never seen before take the floor.

"New recruits," Haruka says to me as we make our way outside. "Anyway, it's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," I say. "I've missed you guys."

"We missed you," Kana mumbles, her voice so soft I almost don't hear her. We head off in the general direction of home, me wishing I could become a demon right about now. It's too cold.

"Oh, hey, so I saw this girl with Shuichi the other night!" Haruka bounces like she's telling me some big news, which I guess she thinks it is. Little does she know…. "She had this crazy-long dark red hair, and she said her name was...Asami? I think?"

I flinch at the name, sighing. "Yeah, she's a friend of mine."

"And you're okay with her hanging out with him? What if she takes him from you?"

"I'm not interested in Shuichi like that," I tell them, sighing. This is only going to get more and more complicated. "And I'm pretty sure she isn't either." Lying twice, and both lies are about the same person. This is harder than I thought it would be.

Just then, a snowball whizzes past my head, and I turn to find Yusuke and Kuwabara in the midst of a serious snow battle. They go back and forth between pummeling each other with fists and with snowballs.

I make my own snowball even as Haruka says, "Asaki, I don't think that's a good idea."

"It's all right," I tell them, throwing it and hitting Yusuke in the back of the head.

He wheels around, looking for the source of the attack. When his eyes fall on me, he calls out, "Asaki! Where the hell have you been?"

"Busy," I say, walking over to them. Haruka and Kana follow hesitantly.

"Kurama told us your birthday was on Christmas. You could have at least said something so we could have wished you a good one."

I shrug. "I hate my birthday. Sue me."

"Well, uh, happy late birthday, anyway," Kuwabara says.

"Same," Yusuke adds.

"Thanks, guys." I turn, gesturing to my friends who look rather uneasy. "This is Haruka, and this is Kana." They mutter hellos, which is when I realize why they're so uncomfortable. Yusuke and Kuwabara are famous for being the biggest punks at Sarayashiki.

"Yo," Yusuke says, and while I don't find him intimidating, Kana takes a step back.

"I promise, they aren't scary," I tell the girls, making another snowball and chucking it at Kuwabara. It hits him in the face, and he stares at me, eyes wide.

"You're so on, Asaki!"

The guys and I go back and forth, tossing snowballs around. After a while, Haruka joins in, Kana not too far behind. I notice my classmates are a lot nicer with their attacks on the two completely normal humans than they are on me or each other, which makes me happy. They really are good eggs, despite what everyone else may think.

"Asaki, duck!" I do as Yusuke says, and his snowball flies right over my head, landing with a dull, wet _thud_ against something not far behind me. I turn to find Kurama standing there, holding his book in front of his face as the snowball slides off.

He looks over at us, frowning as Yusuke calls, "Yo, Kurama, come join us!"

"I'm not much for snowball fights," he replies, looking over everyone gathered here. I know he's thinking we're a strange assemblage of people, but we've been having fun, and that's what matters to me.

"Chicken!" Yusuke crows, making chicken noises.

"Come on, Shuichi," I say, smiling. " _Aniki_."

He closes the book, scowling. "It doesn't matter how you say it, Asaki. I refuse to respond to that."

"Wait, can we call you that?" Kuwabara asks, frowning.

"No." He gives me a withering look, but I merely toss a snowball at his shoulder that he sidesteps. "Remind me to tell my mother to take back what she said to you last night."

I stick my tongue out at him, turning to face the others. A snowball hits me in the back, and I jump, glaring at Kurama. "You know," he says, smiling cheekily, "that was rather fun."

Haruka and Kana take a step back as the snowball fight gets more intense, and I don't blame them. I'm worried some of these might take my head off.

After a particularly vicious snowball hits me hard in the stomach, I slip, landing on my backside in a deep drift of snow. Just my luck. I sit there for a moment, my brain going a little fuzzy at the sheer cold.

"You're going to get sick," Kurama says, grabbing my hands and pulling me to my feet.

"That's fine," I say. "I'm always sick on New Year's. It's like a tradition." I give him a weak smile, and he sighs, shaking his head.

"I don't know that that's something you want to perpetuate."

"Eh." I shrug, heading back into the fray. He wouldn't understand anyway.

…

Morning comes, and with it a pounding headache and one heck of a fever. Perfect. I crawl to the bathroom, using the sink to get me to my feet, looking in the mirror. I look as bad as I feel, and I sigh. This is going to be a long day, but at least I don't have to spend it entirely lucid.

I burn myself on breakfast, sneeze so hard I send half of it flying into the wall anyway, and then spend way too long cleaning it up as I sniffle, my nose running. I end up curling up in my blankets, squeezing the life out of Shiro while trying to do homework. After writing something completely illegible and probably wrong for an answer on one question, I give up, grabbing a book and trying to read.

It takes me about a minute to realize it's upside down, and I sigh, flipping it over as the pounding in my head gets louder and louder. Wait. That's not in my head. Someone's at my door.

Slowly, carefully, I get to my feet, my stomach feeling kind of warbly. I wipe some sweat from my forehead as I stumble to the door, wrenching it open to find four familiar faces standing before me. I shake my head, closing the door to the startled shouts from the other side.

I move to walk away from the door, tripping and falling on my face. Sighing, I lay there, wondering why tatami is so comfy when the door opens again, letting in bright sunlight. I wince, putting my hands over my head.

"Well, she's either sick or drunk," Yusuke says.

"Are you all right?" Kurama's hand finds my forehead, and I shiver at how cool it feels. "You're burning up."

"I'm a fire demon," I sputter. "I'm always burning."

"Cute," he replies, scooping me up into his arms.

"Put me down!" I whine, punching him weakly over and over again in the chest. He sets me down by my blankets, and I throw them over my head.

"Poor thing." That's Keiko, I think. Her voice is muffled by the blanket and the fact that my head is still pounding.

"Wait, are we going to get sick too if we hang around?" Kuwabara this time.

"You didn't all have to come," Yusuke grunts. "Kurama and I were just coming to make sure she wasn't dead."

"Like I'm going to let three boys go over to a girl's place when she's sick," Keiko says.

"What do you think we're going to do, eat her?" Yusuke snaps. "Geez, Keiko."

I lift the blanket from my head, letting out a monstrous sneeze. "Ow," I mumble, even though it didn't really hurt. Just a lot of pressure.

"Did you sneeze fire?" Kuwabara asks.

I look up at him, my vision a little blurry. "I don't remember."

"You don't…?"

"Why is it so cold in here?" Yusuke shouts, stomping over to the thermostat.

I shrug off my blankets, heating my skin so the air gets hot. "I am the heater," I growl. "But turn it up if you want." I return to normal temperature as I say, "Wait a second. I don't recall letting any of you in here."

"You totally did," Yusuke says.

"Really?" I frown.

"Oh, yeah. You invited us over yesterday. You don't remember?"

I'm about to apologize for being rude when Kurama says, "Yusuke, that's not funny. She's liable to believe you."

"Jackass," I grumble, burrowing into my blanket again. I'm all sweaty and gross, and I probably look like a mess too. Good day for company.

Yusuke shrugs, looking around. "You know, I thought your place would be bigger."

"Excuse me for not being independently wealthy," I snap, grabbing the book I'd been trying to read. The words swim on the page, and after a moment, Kurama takes it out of my hand and flips it right-side up. I'd forgotten he was kneeling beside me.

"You boys are so rude," Keiko grunts. "Have you eaten anything today, Asaki?"

I point with my still-burnt hand to the dirty dishes from breakfast. "A little."

"How about I make us lunch?"

"Not much in the fridge," I grumble, leaning against the wall.

"I brought some things," she says, which is when I notice she's got two plastic bags in her hands.

"You don't have to do that," I mumble.

"It's kind of why we came over," Yusuke grunts. "I guess I'll help, since there's nothing else to do here."

I sigh, closing my eyes in the hopes of stopping this monster of a headache. It doesn't help.

"Have you taken anything?" Kurama asks, his voice soft and gentle by my ear.

"Mm-mm. My body burns up most medicine I take before it gets the chance to do any good in demon form, and I don't really have the patience to be a human right now."

"Why's it take patience to be a human?" Kuwabara asks.

"I'm this sick now. My human form would be even worse. Besides, it frustrates me how much weaker that body is at times." I hold my hand in front of my face, staring at the burn pattern before finally healing it. That takes a lot more effort than I'd thought, and my head swims a little from the struggle.

"You just need to train," Kuwabara says. "Maybe Genkai can teach you. She helped me out a lot back when I was new to this whole thing."

"Maybe," I mumble, resting my head on my knees.

It's quiet for a moment-blissfully so-until Kuwabara says, "Hey, what's this guy?" I open my eyes slightly to see him holding Shiro. "He looks just like you, Kurama." Kuwabara holds the stuffed fox out to the fox demon who takes the toy, handing it to me.

"Very funny, Kuwabara. Last time I checked, my fox form was white, not red," Kurama replies.

"He's kind of white," I say, holding Shiro in the air. "Shiro, Shiro, no treats for Shiro."

"Shiro?" Yusuke says from the kitchen area. "What kind of name is that for a red fox?"

"Shut up," I snap, holding Shiro close to my chest as I hum my Shiro song. _Shiro, Shiro, no treats for Shiro_. Kuwabara ends up wandering into the kitchen to help Keiko and Yusuke while Kurama stays with me. I find my hand tracing the chain of the necklace he gave me, but when I notice him looking at me, I stop immediately.

He pulls the Inner-Flame charm from his pocket, and I frown at the fire inside. It's that weird dull yellow again. "Broken," I mumble. I move to chuck Shiro at the wall, but Kurama grabs my hand, and I look down to realize I was about to throw the book instead. Where is my head right now?

Lunch is finished, and I end up nearly spilling food all over myself again, which eventually leads to Kurama spoon-feeding me. The others are snickering, but when I try to eat by myself, I just make things worse. I have no choice but to accept his help, feeling really stupid at the same time.

Once that torture is over, everyone decides to play cards. I go over to my bed and curl up, trying my hardest to just tune everyone out. In the end, what I do manage is to fall asleep once again.

I wake up in a cold sweat, grabbing the clock nearby. Today is nearly over. Shoot. I stagger out of bed, not feeling nearly as bad as earlier. Okay. I still have time. Throwing on my coat, I slide on my shoes and dash outside, one hand full of flowers I'd bought yesterday. I'd kept them in a vase in the kitchen, next to Kurama's roses, hoping they would still be healthy enough to suit my purposes.

There are so many people out, which is no surprise as it's New Year's Eve. Everyone is getting ready for the first shrine visit of the year. I don't remember seeing anyone in my room when I left, and I wonder if they aren't already somewhere, waiting to ring in the new year.

As I walk down a busy street, I get jostled here and there as I try to push my way through. _Have to hurry. Only a half hour left_. Someone flat out runs into me, managing to crush my flowers, and I stare at the broken stems, sighing as tears prick the corners of my eyes that I immediately evaporate. This is what I get for making an effort.

I drag my feet as I enter the cemetery where my mother is buried, wondering why I'm even bothering. As I approach her tombstone, I sigh. Father replaced it yet again, and either he came here himself, or he sent a servant because there is a massive bouquet of flowers laying at its side.

Kneeling down on the ground, I set the crumpled flowers beside my father's, laughing at the difference. "Sorry, Mom," I mutter. "They got beat up on the way here."

Visiting Mother's grave was something Father used to force us to do every year on her death day. The experience was so miserable, with an entourage of servants surrounding us pretending to be sad, that eventually I started forcing myself to get sick for the sole purpose of being unable to come. I had no problems mourning for my mother, despite the fact that I'd barely known her myself, but between the multitude of milling servants and the stony expression on Father's face, I just couldn't take it.

Even as I am now, it's hard to be here, but I take a deep breath forcing myself to look at the words inscribed on the white marble before me: Asami Anno, and the years of her life. Apparently, her family had insisted she be interred here, something all of the money in the world couldn't have changed, despite how hard my father tried. He had to respect the wishes of her parents, much to his fury.

"I know it's been a while," I say, feeling silly talking to a tombstone. Still, Father used to do this too, a long time ago. Maybe it helped him find peace. "You wouldn't believe all the things I've been through in the past year."

Sighing, I run a hand over the characters of her name that we both share. Hers was written as "morning beauty", something I found all too fitting. Morning beauty is fleeting; it doesn't last long, and you miss it when it's gone. My own name is written as "morning blossom", and I wonder how my father ever let her pick a name like that for me.

"I left home, which I don't think you'd like to hear, but, it's been good for me. I've made so many new friends, people who truly care about me." I tug on my braid, sighing. "You wouldn't believe it, but I've even got someone I see as my best friend. He's helped me out so much, and I think you'd like him. He can be irritating sometimes, and he's ridiculously stubborn, but then so am I. I cherish his friendship so much"

I find myself smiling, as I say, "I'm doing okay, so I hope you won't worry about me. I'm going to get stronger, I promise." At that, I nod, shifting Father's bouquet so that it's resting neatly on Mother's grave.

Footsteps catch my attention, and I look up to find, of all people, Kurama, standing beside me. He kneels down too, closing his eyes and raising his hands like he's paying my mom his respects. My heart beats fast at the sight, and I press a hand to my mouth as he opens his eyes, reaching toward the tombstone.

He raises his hand, palm up, and I see a seed there that blooms into a wreath of roses. He sets it on the ground, settling my crumpled flowers and my father's bouquet inside. Then, he turns to me, the expression in his green eyes so soft and warm.

"Feeling better?" he asks me, his voice quiet.

I nod, my hand reaching out and grabbing Kurama's sleeve. He looks at me in surprise, and I swallow hard. "K-Kurama? I need a favor."

"Anything," he replies, and I have a feeling he means it.

"Hold me," I whisper, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around him. He does the same to me, and we stay like that, my heart pounding fast. _I love you_. The words are practically burning on my tongue, but I swallow them down, almost laughing at myself. Not that long ago, I'd sworn I would never tell him, that I was content loving him from a distance. After tonight, I'm not so sure anymore.

This feeling is so strong, and just when I fear it might overwhelm me, I pull away from him, smiling. "Sorry. I know that was a weird request. I just…." I look over at the flowers on Mother's grave, and I let out a shaky breath.

"I understand," Kurama says, nodding. He gets to his feet, offering me his hand, and I take it, letting him lead me from the cemetery. When we're back out on the street, he lets go, turning to face me. "You don't look sick anymore."

"Nah. I'm feeling much better now. Thank you...for everything."

"Of course, Asaki." He smiles. "I'm rather impressed you managed to make it out of your home without me noticing."

"You were still there?" I say, eyes wide.

He nods. "I went to the restroom, and when I came back, you were gone."

I laugh. "My timing was perfect, I guess. I don't know that you would have let me leave, and I wouldn't have had time to explain."

"I probably wouldn't have without some kind of explanation." Looking back at where we just were, he sighs. "So, you're always sick on the day your mother died?"

"Yeah."

"I had a feeling it was something like that."

"How-"

"You did say she died about a week after you were born, and you've been acting a bit off lately."

"Ah. Cunning fox," I say, smiling. That's when I realize it's rather cold. Apparently, my determination to make it here before midnight was so single-minded that I forgot it's the middle of winter. I rub my hands together as I start to shiver. "Stupid winter."

Without a word, Kurama takes off the scarf he's wearing and wraps it around my neck. I stare at him, my face growing warm at his proximity. When he's done, he says, "Better?" I nod, unable to speak. "Good." He looks at the watch on his wrist, saying, "We've got about ten minutes until the new year. I don't suppose you'd like to meet the others? They're waiting at a shrine nearby."

I shrug. "I've never done that before, so why not?"

* * *

A/N:Hi, there, author here. (That's an old reference...) I like to mix up the sad moments with happy ones when I can, so Asaki's grave visit had a few happier moments involved. Also, I sure as heck spent a long time coming up with Asaki's name. Her mother's conveniently fell into place, name meaning and everything, so I'm pretty proud of them *pats self on back* I made an effort! Anyway, stick with me, and we'll get through Asaki's trials!

Thanks to everyone who's still sticking with me, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose and AmericanNidiot for the reviews!


	38. Roomies

We set off together, and I say, "I feel like you'd get tired of celebrating New Year's after you've seen so many."

"Not hardly." He smiles, sliding his hands in his jacket pockets. "I like to watch each new year dawn so I might see which of my past-laid plans come to fruition."

"Geez," I mumble, shaking my head. "You're something else."

"Irritating and ridiculously stubborn?"

"Yes. Wait." I freeze, looking up at him. "You heard all of that?"

He nods, smiling wryly. "I apologize for eavesdropping, but I didn't want to interrupt you."

I start walking again, hitting myself in the side of the head. "Ah, good. I seem to be incapable of going for more than two minutes without making an idiot of myself around you."

"You were asleep for a few hours today," he says.

"Ha. So the only time I'm not being stupid is when I'm asleep. Thanks."

"Asaki." He grabs my hand, sighing exasperatedly. "I was joking. I can't think of a single time you've made an idiot if yourself."

"That makes one of us," I mumble, staring at our joined hands. His fingers are cold, but his palm is warm, and I find myself curling my fingers into it so he's basically holding my fist.

"Would it make you feel better if I told you what I thought of you?"

I yank my hand away from him, my stomach dropping to my feet. "Oh, no you don't have to do that." Just the thought of hearing that terrifies me.

His green eyes bore into me, and I swallow hard, looking away. I see our friends waiting at the foot of some stairs up ahead, so I quicken my pace, wanting to put distance between myself and his words.

I'd much rather continue living in ignorance, satisfied with the fact that we're friends. I don't want to know that he doesn't like me as much as I like him or that being called my best friend makes him uncomfortable. I don't dare to hope he'll have positive things to say, as I've been nothing but a burden on him and his family. He probably sees me as a pet as much as anything else. I'm like a kicked puppy.

"Yo!" Yusuke says as I approach. "You're not going to throw up on us, are you?"

"Yusuke!" Keiko elbows him hard, and he winces. "How are you feeling, Asaki?"

"All right," I say. "Just a bit cold."

"I don't get fire demons being cold," Kuwabara grunts. I flick a tiny bit of fire at him, making sure it falls short, but he jumps anyway. "Watch it!"

"I don't get why humans are so afraid of fire," I tell him, forcing a smile. _Just relax, Asaki. Breathe._

"The average person is highly flammable," Kurama says as he stops beside me.

"Fair enough," I say, pretending nothing is wrong, even though all I want is to bolt again.

"Come on," Keiko says, tugging on Yusuke's sleeve. "We've got to get to the top still."

The five of us make our way up the stairs, just making it past the shrine gates and into the massive crowd of people who've gathered when the whistle and pop of fireworks catches my attention. They're pretty, and I stop in my tracks, staring up at the sky with wide eyes.

Somebody bumps me hard, and I stumble, falling against someone else. "Careful." I look up at Kurama who gives me a small smile, taking my hand. He leads me through the crowd, and I feel my heart in my throat as I hold fast to him. Once we're out of the throng, however, he immediately lets go, leaving me feeling a little cold.

"You there!" I turn, frowning at a booth set apart from the main thoroughfare. A woman is sitting there, her hair wrapped in a scarf, her face mostly covered, wearing a beautiful purple kimono. "Come, get your fortune told! New Year's special."

"Hey, I know this trick!" Yusuke says, swaggering over to the woman. "Botan, is that you?"

"You've got me!" She takes off the headscarf and the one covering her face to reveal her bright blue hair and a huge smile. "Now, who wants a fortune? I think you'll find mine are eerily accurate!"

"Why would you say 'eerily' if you actually want us to get them?" I ask, frowning.

"Scared?" Yusuke asks, reaching into the box Botan has sitting in front of her.

"Jackass," I grunt, following suit. Everyone else does the same, and we stand a little apart, reading what we've got. Mine says 'mixed luck', and I frown as I read over what that means. Everything says I'll do well, from academics to money, the latter of which is both surprising and relieving. The only things that are poor are health and love.

"Let's see?" Botan says, smiling as she reaches for my fortune.

"Wait," I gasp, trying to snatch it back.

"Hmm. This is rather good, Asaki." She frowns at one, saying, "Too bad, though. You've got terrible luck in love. It says to avoid older men as they'll only break your heart."

"That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Keiko says. "I mean, you're pretty old."

"Thanks," I drawl, snatching my fortune away from her, shooting Botan a dirty look.

"Oh, that's right!" She says, her face going red. "Asaki-"

"Stop." I hold out my hand, desperately trying to tell her to shut up. The only person I happen to be in love with is in fact much older than me. Not only that, but he's standing beside me. Stupid fortune. Now, on top of all my other worries, I have this to fret about too.

"It's just a fortune," Yusuke grunts. "These things are usually pretty bogus. Look, mine says to just keep doing what I'm doing, and love will find me. Like I'm looking or something."

"Mine says to try harder," Kuwabara mumbles. "I can do that! Don't worry, Yukina, my love! Your Kazuma is going to win your heart!"

I laugh, as Botan leans over Kurama's slip. "Love Fortune: Don't wait too long or you'll lose your chance." She stares piercingly up at Kurama who raises his hands to ward her off. "Does that mean you've got someone in mind, Kurama?"

He shakes his head. "As Yusuke said, it's just a fortune."

"They aren't _just_ fortunes. They're Botan-certified, Spirit World Fortunes."

I take a step back, watching them debate the merits of fortunes as I try to hold myself together. Not only is my love luck terrible and aimed directly at Kurama, but his own seems to indicate he does have someone in mind. This night is a hot mess.

"Hm."

"What is it, Asaki?" Keiko asks.

"I was just thinking that Hide is older than me…." I look up at Botan, frowning.

"Oh, dear," she says. "Have you heard from him recently?"

"Much to my misfortune," I reply. "This isn't exactly the best start to a new year."

"Well...they're predictions of what may happen. In the end, the future is yours to shape." Botan nods her head, smiling.

"You're right," I reply, returning her smile. Before I can say anything more, a squawking noise catches my attention, and I look up, eyes going wide at the sight of another ghastly bird like the one from the other night. It drops an envelope once again, right into my hands.

I stare at it, my heart suddenly pounding fast. Typed on the front of the envelope is my name, first and last, with the letters DTC beneath it. All eyes are on me, and I resist the urge to look up at Kurama. I think, if I did, I'd ask him to open it for me, but I can't just lean on him for everything.

"I'm so done with getting mail like this," I growl.

"Who's it from?" Yusuke asks.

"It says 'DTC'."

"Dark Tournament Committee?" Botan says, and I stare at her.

"But why would they send me anything…? Oh!" I rip open the letter, pulling out two pieces of paper. One is a letter congratulating me on my winning bets at the Dark Tournament. The other is a check for…. "Holy crap."

"Let me see!" Yusuke snaps, yanking both the paper and the check from my hands. His eyes go wide. "Well, shit, Asaki. What the hell did you do?"

"Somebody explain to me what's going on!" Kuwabara grunts.

"Asaki got a check from the Dark Tournament Committee for one trillion yen." Silence meets his words, and I find I still can't believe it myself.

"Why?" Keiko asks at last.

"W-well," I say, tugging on the base of my braid. "I bet on Yusuke's team."

"Seriously?" Yusuke says, staring with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Before that whole mess even started, I asked my father if I could take my dowry and use it all to bet on you guys. I placed a bet that would just keep going as long as you guys would keep winning. I figured I had nothing to lose. If you all didn't win, there'd be no point in having money anyway, right?"

"What's a dowry?" Kuwabara asks.

"Money that would have gone to my husband if I'd married," I tell him. "It's kind of an old concept, but I'm also kind of old…. I like how that's the question you ask after I just told you that."

Kurama chuckles, his smile enough to both warm and chill me at once. "Forward thinking, Asaki. Maybe the rest of us should have done the same."

"How much was your dowry if you made that much money?" Kuwabara asks.

"A couple million yen," I say, shrugging. "Honestly, it wasn't as much about the amount I bet as the odds that were against you. They were ridiculous, even for the invited team."

"Damn," Yusuke grunts. "Well, what the hell are you going to do with all that money?" He hands the papers back to me, and I pocket everything with a sigh.

"Well, I guess I can go to whatever school I want to now."

Kurama chuckles as Kuwabara and Yusuke stare at me like I've lost my mind. "You have a trillion yen," Yusuke says slowly, "and the first thing you think of is _school_?"

"Seriously, Asaki," Kuwabara says. "You could buy like ten houses!"

"What would I do with ten houses?" I snap, exasperated.

"It's comforting to know that, regardless of how much money you have, you're still the same Asaki," Kurama says, and I swear, his smile could melt steel. It's certainly doing a number on my heart.

"Whatever," I grunt. "I mean, I guess I can move out of the place I'm in now." I clap my hands together, suddenly excited. "I could have a place with more than one room!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara facepalm in unison as Keiko says, "That sounds wonderful, Asaki. I'm so happy for you."

"At least someone is," I say, sighing. "I have a really poor concept of money, considering I grew up surrounded by it. It doesn't mean more to me than a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and the chance to better myself."

"Yeah, but buy something fancy, at least!" Yusuke crows, sounding defeated. "You could buy this whole city!"

"Why would I want a city?" This squabbling continues as Botan packs up her little stand-I think some Spirit World magic is involved, because it disappears-and she and Keiko lead us out of the shrine and to a hill where a few other groups are gathered. I'm having fun picking at Yusuke, so I don't even question where we're going.

"All right, you two," Botan says. "If you don't shut up, you'll miss the first sunrise of the year."

"Big deal," Yusuke grunts.

I frown, but before I can ask a question, Kurama answers it. "It's customary for humans to watch the first sunrise of a new year." I hadn't even noticed he was beside me, and I jump at his proximity. As though unaware of my discomfort, he continues. "It's a good way to say farewell to the old and to welcome the new."

"Right," I say, nodding. Leave it to Kurama to be able to answer questions before I ask them.

We're at a great spot to watch as the sky slowly turns pink. I yawn, feeling tired. I slept most of yesterday, but I must still be recovering a bit. The sun rises slowly, and I find my head resting against Kurama's shoulder. I'm too tired to move or care, and he doesn't shrug me off, taking my hand in his instead.

That simple gesture makes me feel an awful lot better, and I wonder why I've been so up-in-arms lately. Who cares if he doesn't like me as much as I like him? He's still here, and he's holding my hand.

The moment the sun breaks the horizon, Botan claps her hands together. "So, who wants breakfast?"

...

January flies by in a blur, my life once again consumed by three things: School, Work, and Kurama. Entrance exams for high school are coming up, and while I no longer have to worry about getting a scholarship due to my sudden wealth, I still have to pass the exams I plan on taking. Keiko and I spend a lot of time studying together, as apparently Kuwabara has decided he wants to study with Kurama instead. So much for the guy not being a great teacher.

I work at the bakery twice a week, not for the money, but just for the company. It's the only time I ever get to see Haruka and Kana anymore. Apparently, they're also working as hard as they can to get into their top schools. Mrs. Tendou is sympathetic, not getting too mad if she catches any of us studying on the job.

Two or three nights a week, when he's not helping Kuwabara, Kurama and I find ourselves together. At first it was just our ramen quest, but after deciding that Keiko's is our favorite place for ramen, I end up spending more time just at his house. His mother is more than happy to see me, and occasionally, we all go out with Mr. Hatanaka and Kokoda as well. It makes me feel like I'm part of an actual, functioning family.

It occurs to me, one day as I'm heading back to the same old apartment, that I haven't seen Hiei in forever. I kind of miss the prickly guy, which is when I come up with the craziest idea I've ever had. When I'd asked Botan what Hiei was up to, she told me he couldn't leave the city, so he was probably just going from deserted spot to spot, sleeping outside or in abandoned buildings or something.

I owe the little demon, so I start going apartment hunting, eventually settling on a two-bedroom place closer to the high schools I want to go to, but not much further from my current school. After that, I ask Kurama if he can find Hiei for me. When he questions me, I shrug it off, not wanting to jinx anything. I feel like if I say it out loud before I talk to the short demon, it'll ruin everything.

So, Kurama arranges a meeting for Hiei and me, and I'm fighting myself every step of the way to the place, trying not to chicken out. It's entirely possible he'll laugh in my face. I console myself with the fact that if he does laugh, at least I'll have expected it.

Hiei glares at me when I greet him. "What do you want?" he snaps.

"I hear you're stuck in the city until Spirit World says otherwise." Maybe that isn't the best way to start a conversation.

"What do you want, Asaki?" he repeats, narrowing his eyes.

I chuck a set of keys at him. "I have a new place, and it's got two bedrooms. I honestly don't care what you do with yourself, but that room is yours if you want it." Sighing, I give him the address and then leave, heart in my throat.

He probably won't come, I tell myself. He'll probably think the idea of being housemates with me is the single most repulsive thing, but I don't care. The option was given.

I'm beyond surprised when the door to my empty apartment opens later that day, with Hiei standing in the entryway, looking around distastefully. He comes inside, brushing past me to the smaller of the two rooms before coming out to stare at me. I'd been trying to plan the things I would need here when he came in, so I'm just standing, dumbfounded in the living room.

"I come and go as I please," he growls.

"That's fine," I tell him, rubbing a hand over my face. "You can eat whatever food is in the house. If there's anything specific you want, just give me a list."

"Whatever," he replies, heading into his new room and slamming the door behind him. I wonder what I've just gotten myself into. It's too late to back out now.

When I get up the next morning, the little demon is gone, and I wonder just how much coming and going he'll be doing. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. At least he won't be sleeping outside anymore.

I'd invited Yusuke to go shopping with me for house essentials since he'd seemed so keen on me spending my money. When I meet him at the shopping mall, he looks bored already. I must be one hell of a masochist.

"Why me, again?" Yusuke asks.

"You can go home, if you want," I reply. "I just figured a human would know best what to put in a human house. I know if I did this by myself, I'd forget something really obvious."

"Why didn't you ask Kurama?"

"He's not human. And, with my luck, he'd probably trick me into buying something stupid, convincing me it's some essential human thing."

"I guess," Yusuke says.

With that, the two of us head out. I end up getting two couches, a dinner table, a coffee table, a couple bookshelves, two beds, a TV, and a bunch of fancy cooking utensils. The store is going to send some people to deliver the furniture to my home since I obviously can't carry it all myself.

Yusuke is dead tired by the end, and I can tell he really doesn't want to be here anymore. "Two more things, I promise."

"You owe me big time," he grunts in reply.

"I know. That's why I said just two more things." Mrs. Minamino had been complaining that her oven wasn't working properly, so I've decided to buy her a new one. I'm going to send it anonymously so that she doesn't question how I have enough money for that, living on my own, but I hope she'll still accept it.

After that, all that's left is...video games. "Get whatever you want," I tell Yusuke. "And some for Kuwabara too."

"Are you serious?" He's staring at me like I'm crazy, and I shrug.

"It's a thank you for everything you guys have done for me. I already got something for Keiko, Kurama, and Botan." Botan had thought the little oar-shaped keychain I gave her was adorable, and Keiko was more than grateful for the cookbook I got her. She'd said between our study sessions, we could try out new recipes, which was fine by me. With Hiei now in the house, I'll probably be cooking for two on occasion. I don't know that the cheap crap I can currently make will cut it.

As for Kurama, I got him a plant, which sounds incredibly lame, but I didn't think he'd accept anything else from me. The plant is a flower that hasn't done more than sprout right now, and I'd told him he couldn't cheat and make it grow. He would just have to take care of it the old-fashioned way, and if he didn't I'd know, and then I'd beat him up. Or something like that, which made him laugh.

Yusuke picks out a few games after making absolutely certain I'm okay with it, and when we finally part ways at the end of the day, I'm beyond pleased with everything that's happened so far. I dash back to my place so I can tell the movers where to put everything, and I'm rather pleased with the final result.

I pick up the phone I'd bought, wondering who I could call. I haven't used a phone since I left my father's, and it occurs to me that the only numbers I still know serve me no purpose in this world. Sighing, I set it back down and get started on dinner.

Hiei comes in through the window at some point, and I yell at him about using doors, which he ignores. He goes into his room, shutting the door, and I wonder what he thinks of the bed I got him. Once I finish dinner, I knock on his door. He pokes his head out, scowling, and I shove the food at him.

"Eat," I say before going to the kitchen table, flipping open a textbook so I can study and eat. After a few minutes, Hiei joins me, much to my surprise. When we're done eating, he grabs my plate and chopsticks roughly, heading over to the sink and dumping everything in. With that, he turns and heads back into his room.

"Well, I'll be damned," I whisper, grinning.

* * *

A/N: I'm here! I promise, I'm still here. Things have been insane lately, and I feel like I'm losing my mind, but I'm still updating, slowly but surely.

This chapter was kind of weird. It feels like it's just a bunch of loose ends getting tied up and new paths opening to be explored. Rabbit holes, maybe. I like shrine visit things, and I feel like Botan would totally be giving out spooky fortunes. As far as Hiei goes...he's not my favorite character, but he's important in Asaki's life, so I have to keep him around (holds up shield to fend off the scary Hiei fans who hate me now). I like him better than I used to, and he's a character Asaki's creation couldn't have existed without.  
Anyway, that's me rambling. Thanks for reading!


	39. Making Progress

Kurama is waiting outside of work the next day, a frown on his face. He smiles at Haruka and Kana who immediately say goodbye, the former giving me a wink as she goes.

"What's up?" I ask Kurama as we head off, presumably to his house. It's become routine, but to be honest, I'd probably follow this jerk back to Hanging Neck Island if he asked. "You've got this look on your face like I've done something stupid I should apologize for."

"I don't think I have that expression," he replies.

"It's my least favorite," I state.

He shakes his head, clearly not in the mood to argue. "Asaki, if you're going to send my mother gifts, you should at least claim them."

"I'm sorry?" For a moment, I have no idea what he's talking about.

"The oven?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah, sorry about that. It's just...you guys needed a new one, and I've been shelling out thank-you gifts lately, so I figured why not?"

"I'm not complaining about the gift, just the anonymity."

"How could I explain to her that I can afford to do that?" I ask him. "Come on, now." I'm a little irked at the accusatory tone in his voice, so I stop walking, crossing my arms.

He stops as well, facing me, a tired look on his face. "Mother was happy to receive it, but it bothers her that she doesn't know who to thank."

"I'm sorry. If I'd known it would cause that much trouble, I wouldn't have done it," is my reply. I turn and start walking away from him, miffed.

"Asaki." He puts a hand on my shoulder, but I shrug it off.

"I think I'm just going to go home. I was trying to be nice, not cause problems. Apparently, I can't even do that right." I break into a run, not looking back as I make my way home, thoroughly irritated. Maybe I really am stupid. Not only did I upset Mrs. Minamino, but I made Kurama upset and then got mad at him. Bonus points if Hiei's home and pissed at me too for no apparent reason.

When I get home, I flop down onto the couch, pulling a blanket up to my neck and turning on the TV. I don't really pay attention to what's on, instead thinking about all the stupid things I've done lately. This is a recurring mental movie for me.

Around dinnertime, Hiei makes an appearance, banging around in the kitchen. Maybe I should make some food, but I don't really feel like it. There's a knock on the front door, but I ignore it, turning up the volume on the TV.

It happens again, and Hiei makes his way over to the door, a bag of instant ramen in his hand. When he opens it, there's a surprised Kurama on the other side. "Hiei?"

"What?" the short demon snaps, walking away from the door with his ramen.

"Nothing," Kurama says. I sit up from where I've been laying, turning down the TV and looking over at my new guest.

"Can I help you?" I ask him.

He looks a little out of sorts, but after a few moments, he schools his expression, saying, "I've come to apologize for my behavior earlier."

I sigh, getting to my feet. "It's fine. I really didn't think through my gift-giving. If you think it'll be easier on your mother, you can tell her I got the oven for her."

He shakes his head. "She'll be all right, really. If it comes up again, I may inform her. Otherwise, it really is a very nice gift, Asaki."

Hiei grunts, taking the raw ramen noodles back to his room. I wonder if he even knows what to do with those. Sighing, I turn on the stove, boiling water.

"I've brought food," Kurama says, "though not enough for three."

I look over at him, knowing what he wants to ask as he sets the bag he's brought with him on the table. It's got take out in it, and my stomach rumbles at the sight.

"Sounds good," I tell him. "Give me a second." I knock on the door to Hiei's room, poking my head in.

"Get out," he grunts.

"Give me the ramen," I say, holding out my hand. He chucks the bag at me, and I fix it up before heading back and leaving the bowl outside his door. "It's out here. I'm not coming in again."

With that, I make my way over to my kitchen table, finding myself impressed that Kurama's been so focused on the task at hand when he's got to be burning with curiosity. He's laid out all of the food and managed to find my plates and utensils. I settle in at the chair across from him.

"Thanks for the food," I say.

He gives me a smile. "Not that long ago, you'd have refused if I did this."

"I've given up on saying no to your whole family, I guess," I tell him. "You guys are too pushy." He chuckles, and I say, "Ask it, if you're going to. I'm worried you'll explode if you don't."

He sets down his chopsticks, frowning at me. "Hiei lives with you?"

"Yeah," I say. "I figure this is better than him wandering around from place to place."

"I agree, although I'm not so sure how good an idea it is."

"If we're trying to kill each other, I'll give you a call," I tell him, gesturing to the phone.

He frowns, sighing. "I trust you know what you're doing, Asaki. I'm thoroughly impressed that Hiei even agreed to this. He's not quick to accept kindness from others."

"Maybe I don't count as a person to him," I say, smiling. "He probably thinks of me like a bug or something. I guess he can accept things from a bug."

"I suppose that's possible," Kurama says. "Though, it's more likely your very first assertion is the correct one."

"Which was?"

"That he thinks of you like a little sister."

"Huh." I grin impishly as I say, "I wonder if he'll let me call him _onii-san_."

"I wouldn't test it."

…

Kurama's over at my house a lot...and it's usually when I'm not there. The first time I find him sitting in my living room by himself, it scares the crap out of me.

"What are you doing here?" I gasp, trying to calm my heart. I'd just gotten back from Keiko's, and I really hadn't expected to find anyone sitting on my couch, let alone the object of my heart's desire.

"Waiting for Hiei," Kurama says, getting to his feet. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," I grunt, sighing. It's at this moment that I get a sinking feeling this is going to happen a lot.

The second time, I'm in demon form, so I sense them both on the other side of the door. When I come in, they immediately stop talking, and I bristle a little. Are they talking about me?

After the third time, when they do the same, I practically growl. "If you're going to talk about something you don't want me to hear, maybe you should do it somewhere else." Then, I go into my room and slam the door.

Eventually, I just come to terms with the fact that he's going to be here. After I find him waiting outside my door a few times, I end up making him a copy of the key.

"Here," I tell him, holding out my hand. He catches the key, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure you can bust in on your own, but I'd rather you didn't. It's easier this way, so you don't have to sit out here, hoping the idiot inside will actually come to the door."

"Thank you," is his reply, and it's so genuine that it makes my heart beat erratically.

...

I don't understand why Keiko and Botan are so excited about a holiday like Valentine's Day. It's just a trite, commercialized way to guilt people into going out of their way to make things for others. I don't know why we need a holiday for that.

The week before Valentine's, Keiko proposes that she, Botan, and I get together to make chocolates for the boys. When I ask her why, she looks so hurt that I just have to suck it up. Botan suggests that we do it at my house, but I tell her that's a bad idea. Hiei's hardly ever home, but there's no telling when he will be, and if he's there, so is Kurama. It feels like they're planning something, but I don't ask, and they don't tell. Anyway, I can't make Valentine's things if he's around. I just know he'll ask about it, and then I'll chicken out.

Because I'm terrified of making Kurama chocolate. On a list of incredibly stupid things to be afraid of, the idea of celebrating this little human holiday about love with a gift for the person I love makes me feel sick to my stomach.

In the end, Keiko's is the place we decide on, and after much thought, it's decided that we just make chocolate candies for the guys. Keiko is going to make some for Kuwabara and Yusuke, Botan wants to just do it for fun, though I think she's going to bring some back for Koenma, and I'll be making things for Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Kurama. I have to talk myself into the last one, but if I'm going to be doing this, I can't make it for everyone except Kurama. I'd make some for Hiei too if I didn't think he'd be disgusted. While the thought is entertaining, it certainly doesn't give me any confidence.

The afternoon before Valentine's finds the three of us in her kitchen, engrossed in the careful creation of chocolate confections. I'm losing my mind here.

"So, any progress with you and Kurama?"

I nearly burn myself on the stove at Botan's words, eyes wide. "Excuse me?"

"You know," Botan purrs. "You've been in love with him for ages now. I want to see you two get married this century, please."

"M-married?" I balk, holding up my hands. "Botan, please, stop."

"Give her a break," Keiko says. "You're going to make her burn the chocolate."

I sigh, a bit shaken as I go back to stirring the pot of melting chocolate. "Botan, I like Kurama, but I haven't changed my mind on not confessing to him."

"No way!" she pouts.

"Yes way."

"Well, what will you do if he confesses?" Keiko asks.

Two months ago, I'd immediately shot this question down, but all I can think of is Kurama in my home all the time, and how comfortable I've gotten with him being around. After what he did for my mother on New Year's, and how kind and patient he's been with me, I….

"I don't know."

"Well, that's progress!" Botan claps her hands together as she says this, grinning.

"Is it?" Keiko asks.

"Last time, she said she'd run away. Now, it looks like she's put some thought into it."

I nod. "I...I'm not opposed to the idea of being in a relationship with him. I still think it's too soon, but…." I dig my hands into my hair, groaning. "I don't know. All of this is hypothetical anyway. He's probably got more girls in love with him than he even knows what to do with."

"While I'm sure you're right, that doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings for you. You're very close friends."

"I know," I say. "And I'm so very grateful for his friendship."

"Wouldn't it be so romantic if, tomorrow, he accepted chocolate from no one but Asaki?" Botan asks, her eyes going all misty on me.

My face goes bright red, and I go back to stirring the chocolate. A more likely scenario would be that he accepts chocolate from everyone except for me. Whether that ends up being because he doesn't want it from me or because I get too scared to give it to him remains to be seen.

When I get home from Keiko's, a bag of chocolate goods in my hands, I manage to trip, landing hard on my face in my efforts to protect the candies.

"Asaki!" Of course Kurama would be here right now. I push myself upright, my ears ringing as I look up into green eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I tripped over your shoes," I grunt, scowling. It's not his fault I'm in such a weird mood. I wish I hadn't agreed to do any of this Valentine nonsense. Botan's words made me nervous, and the idea that I can even think of being in a relationship with Kurama only makes it worse.

"Sorry."

"Watch where you're going, moron," Hiei snaps from the table.

"I should set your chair on fire," I reply.

"Not like I bought it," he says. "Besides, everything in this damn house is covered in wards. You couldn't burn it even if you wanted to."

When I first moved in here, I'd placed wards on the walls and furniture so that I wouldn't set things on fire if I wasn't paying attention. Over the past month, I've been able to take them off of certain things like my bed's blankets and my pillow, but that's about it.

"These things wouldn't be necessary if you took the time to train," he continues.

"Leave me alone," I mumble, stalking into my room. I set the chocolates beside my bed, sighing. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

…

Keiko and I give our chocolates to Kuwabara and Yusuke at the same time. The guys try to act nonchalant, but their faces are red, and Kuwabara's friends tease the crap out of them. All in all, I'd call that a success.

After school, the guys and I walk to the gate. Keiko has student council work, so as per usual, she won't go home with us.

"Hey, what's Botan doing here?" Yusuke asks.

"That's a good question," I reply. The blue-haired girl is leaning against the front wall, looking down at something in her hand. When she looks up and sees us, she grins.

"Hello!" she practically sings as we approach.

"What's up, buttercup?" Yusuke says, and I almost laugh. That was certainly cute coming from him.

"I've got news for Asaki."

"News?" I say.

"He'll be at school until late today, so if you're going to do it, you should head out now."

I feel my face going red, and I nod. "Right."

"Who's 'he'?" Kuwabara asks. "Got a boyfriend we don't know about, Asaki?"

"Five hundred yen says it's Kurama."

"Screw off," I growl. "I'm not dating Kurama. Besides, if I was, do you really think you wouldn't have found out about it?"

"I don't know. That fox is pretty tricky."

"Yeah, but I can't lie to save my life," I reply.

"Wait, you gave us chocolate," Kuwabara says slowly. "So, do you have some for Kurama too? Are you just going to give him friendship chocolate?"

"I bet it's lovey-dovey chocolate," Yusuke sing-songs.

"When you wake up in the morning with your house burned down, don't come looking for me," I grunt.

"I should call the police on you for threatening me," he growls.

"I'll burn them too."

"You're kind of sick, you know that?"

I grin, thumbing my nose at him as I turn to head toward Meiou. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Your boyfriend's waiting for you!" Yusuke shouts after me.

"He might be," I mumble in reply, sighing. I'd been trying not to think about it all day, but the idea of giving Kurama Valentine's Day things is making my stomach sick. Which is stupid. This whole holiday is stupid. I should just go home.

* * *

A/N:I'm going to hit as many cliches as I can, here, apparently. More shenanigans to come. This chapter was kind of short, but I hope I've set up some good expectations for the next one. Thanks for reading and a special thanks to Sidako, YukinaBlueRose, and 2 for the reviews!


	40. Chocolates and Fangirls

I should just go home.

That's what I tell myself as I take a step onto Meiou's campus. People are looking at me funny, and I realize I must stand out in my blue sailor uniform. It never crossed my mind that it would be difficult to find Kurama, and I'm cursing myself for not having a plan. That leaves me relying on my shoddy spirit senses.

I sigh, standing off to one side and scanning the school for him. After a while, I get a general idea and make my way into the school, wondering why no one tries to stop me. Maybe they think I know where I'm going. I wish I did.

Thankfully, I don't have to go far; a tall guy with bright red hair stands out, interestingly enough. He's standing against a wall, surrounded by...girls. Oh, good lord. He looks incredibly awkward as he fends off at least a dozen classmates all trying to offer him chocolates. I know he's attractive, but this is just ridiculous.

"I'm sorry," I catch him saying. "I'm not really fond of sweets."

"Shuichi!" some of the girls whine, the sound murder on my ears even as my heart sinks.

"I apologize, but I really have to get going." He tries to break free to no avail, and I sigh, wondering if I can't help him somehow, even as I want to run away. If he's not accepting Valentine's chocolates from his classmates, I don't think he'll want any from me either. I should just go home.

"Asaki?" Dammit. Even when being assaulted by a hoard of girls, he's still too observant. Stupid fox.

"H-hey, Shuichi," I say, walking toward the girls, half of whom are scowling and the other half curious.

Kurama manages to take advantage of his confused classmates to break free and head over to me. "How are you?" he asks, his grateful smile a little more than I can take right now.

"Fine," I mumble, and he frowns as the girls move toward us.

"Is she your little sister?" one of the girls asks, and I snort, making Kurama sigh.

"A good friend of mine," he replies. "And, I'm very sorry, but I must be going." Kurama grabs my hand, much to the displeasure of everyone here, and he tugs me along after him, into the school. After a few minutes, he pulls me into an empty classroom, closing the door behind us.

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I stare at a slightly flustered Kurama. He's not paying attention to me at the moment, still looking through the window to make sure we weren't followed. That's good, because I'm a little overwhelmed. There's just so much that's absolutely ridiculous about this situation, and I can't handle it.

When Kurama finally turns his attention on me, he smiles softly. "Well, that was an adventure."

"Do you always have swarms of fangirls attack you after school?" I ask him. _Jealous?_ Ah, that's what this feeling is that makes me want to burn everything I can get my hands on.

"Fangirls?"

"You know what I mean," I tell him.

"No. Just a Valentine's Day thing." I nod, and he runs a hand through his hair, making it bounce adorably. I want to do the same, and I curse myself for being so stupid right now. "Did you need me for something?"

"Hm? Oh." My face goes bright red, and I take a step back, bumping into a desk and making my bag rustle a little. "No reason."

He raises an eyebrow, frowning. "I'm certain you didn't come all this way for no reason."

"Totally did," I say, looking away.

"You're awful at lying."

"Second time today I've heard that," I reply. "It's not news to me."

Kurama stares at me for a moment, before he moves toward me, so fast I don't have time to react. He manages to grab something out of my open bag and ends up a few steps back from me before I have time to react. I'm dumbfounded for all of one second until I see what's in his hand. The chocolate I made for him.

"You thief!" I shout.

"Thank you," he replies, smiling. "Though I'm not sure this counts as it has my name on it." And damn if he isn't right. Keiko had forced me to put cute little tags on the bags of chocolate, and that one very clearly says Kurama.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I snap, taking a step toward him. "I'm pretty sure your name is Shuichi."

"When it's convenient," is his reply.

"Give it to me, Kurama," I growl.

"Why?"

"Because." This is simultaneously the most clever and intelligent conversation I've ever had with him.

I try to snatch the chocolates, but he's holding them high in the air. I jump, but he puts a hand on my shoulder, holding me back. "Kurama!" I shout.

"Asaki!" Frustrated, I jump at him, managing to knock both of us to the ground. Kurama's arms go around me to make sure I don't get hurt, but I hear his head hit pretty hard. Looking up at his face, I'm concerned for about two seconds until I watch him take one of the chocolates I made and put it in his mouth.

"I hate you," I growl, climbing off of him, my whole body ridiculously warm. My face is burning too, and I kick myself for enjoying being on top of him like that. Now is not the time.

"Asaki, I don't understand what the problem is. Are these not for me?"

"They are," I say, sighing. "But you told your classmates you don't like sweets, so I wasn't going to give them to you."

He eats another, and I grimace. "If I accepted chocolates from every girl who tried to offer them to me, I would have enough to last me the rest of the year," he says at last. "I try to avoid accepting any if I can help it."

"Then why are you currently eating mine?" I ask.

"Because I'd like to think we're at least a little closer than girls whose names I don't even know." Those words kill all of the fire in me in one instant, leaving me feeling warm just from his gaze. His green eyes are so full of affection that I almost bolt from the room. I'm not so foolish as to mistake it for anything more than the love of a friend, but I want it so badly to mean more.

"We are," I reply, sitting up and pulling my knees to my chest. "You know, none of this would have happened this way if you weren't so damn nice and attractive."

He sits up too, smirking. "You think I'm attractive?"

"Kurama, everyone thinks as much. Even Yusuke and Kuwabara probably do." This makes him laugh, and I find myself smiling. "You know, it was so much easier to give chocolates to them."

"Was it?"

"Probably helped that Keiko was with me. Honestly, I wouldn't have participated in this silly holiday at all if it wasn't for her and Botan."

"Remind me to thank them," he says, smiling at me. "These chocolates are rather good."

"I hope you get fat," I say, poking him.

"I suppose that might help fix my attractiveness problem." He gets to his feet, offering me a hand that I take.

"Never said it was a problem," I reply, brushing off my skirt.

Kurama chuckles, taking the rest of his chocolates and putting them in his school bag. "I have some things to do here still, but if you don't mind waiting, perhaps we can get dinner together?"

"Sure," I say before I fully understand what just came out of my mouth. "Oh, but if we go out on Valentine's, people will get the wrong idea, don't you think?"

"Not really," Kurama says. "I don't see a reason why friends can't share a meal on a certain day just because it's a romantic holiday."

"If you say so," I reply. "But don't say it's my fault if that soulmate of yours sees us again."

"You seem to think rather poorly of this imaginary soulmate of mine," he says as we make our way out of the classroom and down the hall. "I would like to think she could stand my having other female friends."

"I hope so. Soulmate or not, if she doesn't want me to be friends with you, I might have to beat her up."

"I wouldn't date someone who didn't approve of my friends," he tells me, making me smile.

"That's good to hear. I guess that means I can stay by your side a little longer." I skip a little, making him laugh.

"Please do." I look up at him, wondering if I heard that right. He's not looking at me, and I find myself walking a little slower, lagging a step behind him. Wishful thinking on my part that he would say something like that. I would project my own feelings on him, wouldn't I…?

He stops outside a classroom, sliding the door open and gesturing for me to step inside. The room is full of guys, all of whom are sitting at two tables facing a lectern. They have buzzers and scraps of paper in front of them.

"Shuichi! Where've you been?" one guy says. He comes over to us, eyeing me for a moment before turning his full attention back on my companion.

"Sorry. I had something to take care of." Kurama turns to me, saying, "You can grab one of the desks while you wait. I don't think this will take all that long."

"Sure thing," I say, nodding.

"Hey, are you any good at math and science?" the guy in front of us asks. That's when I notice all of the guys are staring at me. Boy, do I hate being the center of attention.

"I'm not bad," I reply.

"Come join us, then. We're short a player, and it's got to be better than just sitting and waiting for us to finish."

"Um, okay?" I say. "I think I'll be more of a handicap than anything else."

"We'll put you on Shuichi's team. It'll be fine. What's your name?"

"Asaki."

"All right. Keniichiro, other side. Asaki's going to help us out."

"Yeah," the guy who must be Keniichiro says. He gets out of his seat, vacating it for me, and I sigh.

"You don't have to do this," Kurama says.

"It's okay. I feel bad for you, however."

"You may yet surprise us," he replies, smiling as we take our seats.

"She your girlfriend, Shuichi?" the young man I sit next to asks.

"Just a friend," Kurama replies.

"All right! Game on!" the first guy says. He introduces himself as Shota and we get things underway. I was right in suspecting this was a trivia game of sorts. More specifically, it's filled with math and science problems.

The first few science questions are a bit over my head, but Kurama buzzes in, getting them right. The next question is a math problem that I buzz in as the last part of the equation is put on the chalkboard. When I rattle off the answer, everyone looks at me in surprise.

"She's right," Shota practically whispers. "Damn, that was good."

The next two questions I answer the same way, not needing to write anything down, and the guys are staring at me like I'm some kind of weirdo.

"Sorry. I won't do that again," I mumble, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Are you kidding?" Ren, the one sitting next to me, asks. "You're totally awesome. How are you even doing that?"

I shrug. "I've always been good at that kind of math."

"That's beyond good!" Shota cheers. "So much for being a handicap."

In the end, Kurama's and my team crushes the other, with me picking up all the math answers and Kurama all the others. When it's finally over, the guys all crowd around me.

"Hey, Asaki, isn't that a Sarayashiki uniform?" Ren asks.

"Yeah," I reply, feeling really uncomfortable.

"You're only in junior high? What year?"

"Third."

"You should totally come to Meiou!" Shota says, taking my hands in his. I try to gently pull my hands away, but he's having none of that. "Please, Asaki! Be a student here! You can join the Quiz Club, and I'll be the best _senpai_ , I promise!"

"Sorry, Shota." Kurama steps in, pulling me out of the group, and I sigh in relief. I was starting to lose my head in the middle of all that. "If Asaki does come here, I don't think she'll be joining you."

"No way!" Shota says, looking imploringly at me.

"I have to pass the exam first," I sputter, putting up my hands to ward him off.

"You'll be fine," Ren says. "We'll totally see you here in spring!"

"M-maybe," I reply, looking away. I need some air. These guys are way too hyper for me, which is not something I'd expect out of a club full of math and science nerds.

"Don't let them pressure you," Kurama says.

"You're no fun, Shuichi," another of the guys says. "It'd be nice to have a girl in the club. Hey, do you have a boyfriend?"

"What?" I feel my face go red, and Kurama sighs.

"We're leaving." He takes my hand, grabbing both our bags and heading for the door.

"Goodbye, Asaki!" Shota and Ren chorus. "See you soon!"

I wave, absently, holding tightly to Kurama's hand. He doesn't let go even as we walk through his school, not that I mind. Once we get outside, he passes me my bag, sighing.

"I thought my problem was bad, but I'm starting to think you shouldn't go to this school."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my heart plummeting. He doesn't want to go to school with me?

"Those guys were like vultures. If you come here, they may all confess to you on the first day."

I stare for a moment before barking a laugh. "Is that all?"

"All? Have you found your future boyfriend in that group, then?"

"No, that's not what I mean," I say, smiling. "I was worried you didn't want me as your _kohai_." I grin, saying, "Kurama- _senpai_ , help me with my homework?"

He sighs. "I don't suppose you'd let me be genuinely worried about you for a moment or two?"

"There's nothing to worry about. They'll have forgotten about me by the time I get exam results. Besides, this school is one of a couple I'm trying to get in to. I'll make a decision after I get my scores back."

Kurama nods, hefting his bag over one shoulder. "For what it's worth, I'd love to have you as a _kohai_ , however, I don't think I want you calling me _senpai_."

"I can't call you _nii-chan_ , and I can't call you _senpai_. What's left?"

"Kurama," he replies.

"All right, Kurama," I say, smiling. "I like that best anyway."

* * *

A/N: I feel like this chapter title is my life. In all honesty, these moments where Asaki and Kurama get to just be together make my day. Kurama gives Asaki the chance to be whoever she wants to be, and sometimes she just wants to be a petulant goofball. I'm okay with that. We've got a handful of new characters who may or may not be coming back later. *refuses to make eye contact*

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to Sidako, bluerose921, and YukinaBlueRose for the reviews!


	41. Cutting Ties

When I get home from dinner with Kurama, I find Hiei sitting on the couch in the living room. "Yo," I say to him, heading into my room. He doesn't respond, not that he ever does. He's not the easiest to be friendly with, but at least I'm making an effort.

Stepping back into the living room, I frown. _He was just here._ I jump, spinning around and catching Hiei's burning sword with my bare hands. The demon leaps back, smiling.

"Good. You can withstand other fire attacks than your own. Maybe you aren't completely hopeless."

"Nice to see you too?" I say, frowning.

"I'm going to be training you to control your fire so we can take down these damn wards. They make my skin itch."

"Um, all right," I reply. "Thanks, Hiei."

"Don't thank me until we're done. We're going to start with you fending off my attacks. Prepare yourself!"

...

I'm exhausted and irritable the next day, both of which Yusuke feels the need to point out to me at lunch.

"You kind of look like an angry tanuki," he says, laughing.

"Great," I reply. "You look like you've got enough grease in your hair to fry some tempura."

Kuwabara barks a laugh, grinning. "She got you, Urameshi."

"Shut up," he replies, smacking Kuwabara on the back of the head.

"You're just asking for trouble today," I say.

"I've been itching for a good fight, that's all." Yusuke leans back in his chair, hands behind his head. "It's been too quiet around here lately."

"Had a taste of excitement, and now you can't get enough, huh?" Kuwabara says. "I'll fight you if that's what you're after."

"I'm bored of always kicking your ass," Yusuke replies.

"Spar with me then." The two guys look at me, surprised.

"You sure?" Yusuke asks. "I don't want to catch on fire or anything."

"No energy involved," I tell him. "I need to let out my frustrations on something, and I haven't had the chance for a good, clean sparring match in a long time."

"Sounds good to me!"

Thus begins my month of training. On the days I don't have work after class, I spar with Yusuke. Kuwabara and his friends often come to watch, cheering when we land some good hits. After that, I either go to the library to study or I go straight home to make some food. Training with Hiei is every night, regardless of how crappy my day was, as I found out the one time I tried to bail on him.

"I'll burn this entire place to the ground if you don't get out here!" Hiei had shouted from the other side of my door.

I get one night off a week from everything, which I use to study some more, even though I know I should be resting. I don't see Kurama much in that time, although he almost got caught in the middle of Hiei and me once when he walked into my apartment and nearly into an inferno.

"Dare I ask?" he says when the flames subside, leaving me panting on the ground and Hiei glaring down at me.

"Training," I growl.

"If you don't want to lose that hair of yours, I'd suggest you go elsewhere," Hiei says to Kurama. The fox demon steps inside, settling on the couch.

"I don't know that this sort of training should take place in a house," Kurama observes.

"If the stakes are higher, she'll learn faster," Hiei grunts, raising his sword at me.

"So he says, but I swear, if you burn my home down, you're paying for it, not me."

"Tch," is all he has to say.

…

I blame all of this training lately. I can't think of any other reason it would have happened other than sheer exhaustion mentally, physically, and spiritually. One day, while I'm at work, Mrs. Tendou yells at me from the other end of the table where we're prepping things for tomorrow.

"Asaki, pass me that knife, will you?" I look to where she's pointing, my stomach dropping at the sight. _What the hell_?

"S-sure," I say. I slowly make my way over to the bread knife she'd gestured to, reaching for it. When my fingers touch the handle, a chill trips up my spine. I close my hand around it, lifting it, and my head spins, terror pouring through me.

 _Stupid bitch! You're pathetic. Disgusting._ No, please, stop. _Are you having fun yet, my beloved Asaki?_

"Asaki!" I drop the knife, and it lands right beside my foot, my vision blurring as tears stream down my face. I can't stop shaking, and I can't tear my eyes from the dully glinting blade. Black spots dance across my eyes as my knees give out.

Suddenly, I'm laying on the ground in the break room, Kana sitting beside me. I push myself upright, my arms weak, but at least I can see now. I must have passed out.

"Are you okay?" Kana asks me, her quiet voice sounding worried.

"Fine," I mumble, pushing myself to my feet. What the hell was that?

"Mrs. Tendou said you fainted, and Kai brought you in here. We were going to call an ambulance if you didn't wake up soon."

"Sorry for the trouble," I say, bowing my head to her.

"Don't be." She gets to her feet, brushing off her skirt. It's hopelessly covered in flour, but so is everything else in this place.

I manage to stand on my own, trying to keep my pace steady as Kana and I make our way to the prepping area in the back of the bakery. Mrs. Tendou is talking to her husband who is nodding, his arms crossed. When he sees me, he touches his wife's shoulder, and she turns around.

"Asaki!"

"Sorry about that," I say, bowing again. "I'm not sure what happened, but I'm okay now."

"I think you ought to go home early," she says, sighing. "You've been looking really tired lately."

I'm about to protest, but maybe she's right. Maybe if I just get some sleep, I'll be all right again. "Okay," I tell her.

"Is there anyone you can call to come pick you up?"

I frown, thinking. I don't think I need someone to walk me home, but I don't want Mrs. Tendou to worry. Who can I call that I won't be bothering?

Dialing my own house, I'm not expecting anyone to answer, so when Hiei picks up, I'm surprised.

"What?"

"Why did you answer the phone?" I ask.

"I can hang up," he grunts.

"Wait. Look, if I'm not home in a half hour, come looking for me, okay?"

There's silence, and at first I think he's hung up on me. Eventually he grunts, "Fine." And then he hangs up.

I make it home without incident, dragging my feet a bit. Hiei is nowhere to be found, but I don't really want to talk to anyone anyway. Slowly, I make my way over to the kitchen, yanking open the drawer with my silverware in it and glaring at the knives. I only keep a couple around because I don't make a lot that needs to be cut but looking at them makes my stomach plummet again.

 _Dammit, what's going on?_ I grab one, and suddenly I'm faced with mind-numbing terror once more. Dropping it back into the drawer, I slam it shut, trembling. A tear hits my hand, and I kick the cupboard beneath, angry at myself.

I stomp to my room, leaping onto the bed and holding Shiro as I cry. Later, when Hiei bangs on my door, I just roll over, ignoring him.

Each day for the next week, I try to figure out what's wrong with me by grabbing a knife from my kitchen drawer. Each time, terror rushes over me, I start shaking and crying, and I hear his voice, echoing through my skull like gunshot.

Sunday night finds me sitting on the couch, my head in my hands. I'm sick of this. I haven't been afraid of knives in decades. Right around the time I could no longer feel pain, I also stopped fearing Hide and what he could do to me. So, why now? Why is this happening? Maybe it's because of how tired I am. That's no excuse for letting him control my life again.

It's with that thought in mind that I make my way over to that kitchen drawer, forcing myself to pry it open and take hold of a knife. I start shaking again, hearing that voice in my head. _My beloved Asaki._ "Son of a bitch!" I scream, raking the knife across my arm at the same time that someone grabs hold of my hand, prying the knife from my fingers.

Trembling, I stare dumbly at Kurama who is looking at me like I've lost my mind. Tears pool in my eyes, and I can't stop shaking. I hear a clatter, and some part of my brain processes that that must be the knife being set down. A hand finds mine, and Kurama slowly walks me over to the couch, getting me to sit.

He disappears, and I stare at my arm, wondering if the massive amount of blood I've lost will stop on its own. After a few moments, I decide I should probably to that myself. I heal the cut, staring at my bloody skin.

Someone sits beside me, and a hand takes my no-longer-injured arm, slowly wiping away the blood with a wet towel. When I'm more or less clean, I look up at Kurama, sniffling.

"Hiei said you've been acting strange lately," the fox demon says, letting go of my arm. I don't say anything in reply, instead tracing the skin where I'd hurt myself. "Asaki, what's going on?"

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I don't know." Kurama takes my hand in his, and I swallow hard before telling him everything. I'm surprised I can get the words out, and when Hide's name comes up, Kurama sighs. I can tell he's irritated, but he doesn't stop me, letting me get through to the end.

"I don't know what to do," I whisper, digging a hand into my hair.

Kurama sighs, taking the hand of mine he's holding and resting it on his knee, palm up. He traces the lines on my skin, and I'm so caught up in what he's doing that I almost miss what he says next. "Hurting yourself is not the answer."

His voice is so tense it scares me, and I start to close up my hand, wanting to take it back from him. He pins it under his, forcing me to hold it there, and I find myself looking up into his face. Thankfully, he's still looking at our hands, so I don't have to face the terrifying expression I find there.

"I'm sorry," I gasp, tears in my eyes once more. "I didn't know what to do, and I panicked. All I could think was that if I could face what I was afraid of, it wouldn't happen anymore."

"And doing what he did to you is the way to stop it from happening again?"

It makes sense as he says it, and I'm so disgusted with myself for being so...stupid? Weak? Pathetic. I thought I'd come so far from all those years ago, when I was the frightened girl under someone else's thumb. Turns out, I've gone nowhere.

"Asaki, why didn't you tell anyone? Don't you trust your friends?" He loosens his grip on my hand, but I let it rest there, taking in the warmth from his knee and his hand.

"I didn't want to burden anyone else with my problem," I mumble.

He shifts in his seat so that he's facing me, and I'm trapped in his green eyes as he says, "You could never burden me." The intensity in his gaze does strange things to my stomach, and I have to look away as my face starts to burn red. "Asaki, your friends are all here to help you. If you don't trust us-"

"I trust you." I'm shaking now, feeling smaller and smaller with every passing second. "I trust you implicitly. I just...wanted to handle this on my own. I thought I would be fine."

"I've told you before that you don't have to. You're not alone anymore." He reaches around me with his free hand, pulling my braid over my shoulder and tugging gently on it. "You don't have to be strong by yourself. Rely on others a little more."

I run a hand over my face, wiping the tears out of my eyes in the process. "How do I know when to do that?"

"Whenever you can't handle things on your own. As far as I'm concerned, you can always rely on me."

His words make me smile, even though I don't want to, and I laugh. "You're a glutton for punishment, aren't you?"

He's smiling now too, and it's like the sun breaking through the clouds. I have to fight the sudden urge to throw myself into his arms, instead settling for poking him in the shoulder. "I'm not the one poking a vicious fox," he replies.

"You're not all that scary," I say.

"Then you'll have to promise me something."

"Anything." That's what comes out of my mouth in this moment, and I wish I could take it back. Curse me and my stupid, love-addled brain.

Kurama doesn't look at me like I'm crazy, which is a relief I guess. Instead, he links our pinkies together, saying, "Regardless of where you are or what you're doing, if you find yourself frightened like that again, come find me. Whether it's the middle of a school day or at work or even when Hiei is trying to kill you. All right?"

"Kurama…."

"Please, Asaki. I'm worried about you." It's the earnest look in his eyes that gets to me in the end.

"I promise, Kurama."

He looks visibly relieved, and I'm a little surprised that something from me could do that to someone. I'm used to causing more problems, not fixing them. Although, I guess this is a combination of both.

I feel a little better having him in my corner though. Every time Kurama has stood by me, I've been able to make it through whatever's wrong. I have faith that this time won't be any different.

Kurama undoes my hair tie in one swift motion, and I quickly yank my braid away from his hands. "What are you doing?" I say, reaching for the tie.

"Why do you always wear your hair in a braid?" he asks, holding the band out of my reach. I raise an eyebrow at him. Last time we did this, the two of us ended up on the floor. While that's not entirely an undesirable outcome, I'm not confident I'll want to get off him this time.

"Because it gets in the way when I'm fighting," I reply.

"Are you anticipating an attack?" he asks, smiling cheekily.

"It's just habit. Now, give it back." I hold out my hand, and he relents, pressing the tie into my palm. "What about you? How does all that fluffy hair not get in your way?"

"I certainly don't have as much as you, but my fighting style doesn't involve as much movement as yours. There's also no risk of using my own hair as an explosive."

"Hey, that happened once, and everyone involved only got minor burns," I say, crossing my arms.

He raises an eyebrow but doesn't question it, instead saying, "I tie my hair up sometimes when I'm doing work where it might get in the way."

I hold out my hair tie to him. "I want to see."

He takes it from me, shaking his head like he's indulging me, but he's still smiling. He pulls back his hair, putting it in a high ponytail, and then looking up at me. "Nothing spec...ial. Asaki, what is it?"

My face is burning red, and my stomach is nothing but butterflies at the sight before me. Kurama with his hair in a ponytail is simultaneously gorgeous and adorable, and it's almost too much for my heart to handle. I can only think it's because it's a different look on him. He's always incredibly handsome, but this is something new, and I can't take it.

"Asaki?"

"N-nothing," I squeak, looking away. "It's nothing."

"You're not good at this," he replies, pinning me with his gaze. "And your face matches your hair."

"Mm." I cross my arms. "Thanks, a lot."

"Asaki, what is it?"

"Can't you just let this one slide?" I ask. "Just this once?"

"Not likely," he says.

I bite my lip, finally saying, "You're cute, okay?" I get to my feet, turning my back on him, mortified.

He snorts, and I sigh. Of course he's laughing at me. I would be too, in all honesty. "Asaki." There's a smile in his voice, as he says, "Was that really it?"

"Go to hell."

I hear him get to his feet, and he puts a hand on my shoulder. "Asaki."

"Stop saying my name, you jerk," I grunt, shrugging him off me and turning to face him. He's grinning like I've given him a present or something. "You're insufferable."

"I'm sorry," he says, not looking the least bit so. "It's just, that was rather cute itself."

I think my head might pop off. It has been one heck of a long day, and having Kurama call me cute is the icing on the cake. Before I can say anything, however, a door bangs open, and Hiei stomps out into the living room.

"Will you two stop flirting and shut the hell up?" he snaps. "I'm trying to sleep."

I stick my tongue out at him, well-aware of how red my face still is. He tosses one of his fireballs at me, and I catch it, raising my leg to throw it under and back at him. "Thanks for stopping by, Hiei," I say as he dissipates the flame before it reaches him. "Your input is valuable, and we're grateful for your time."

"You're an irritance," he grunts.

"And you're a treat." I grin hugely, and he shakes his head.

"You disgust me."

"I love you too." His cheeks tinge pink, and I laugh as he stomps right back into his room. It's at that moment that something occurs to me. I turn to Kurama who has a bemused smile on his face. "Did you come here to see Hiei?"

"I did, but he doesn't seem in the mood for a chat."

"Sorry," I say, sighing.

"Asaki, if you apologize to me one more time, I'm keeping this." He pulls the tie out of his hair, and the red strands fall around him, making my heart stutter. It doesn't matter what he does, he's always stunning, damn him. He holds the hair tie out before me, and I snatch it away.

"Fine, fine. Well, do you want some food? It's probably close to dinner time." He looks at his watch to verify this, and I make my way into the kitchen, sighing at the blood I didn't realize I'd left on the floor. Excellent. "Um, I'll clean this up."

"I can cook if you don't mind my digging among your things."

"You are absolutely my favorite person right now," I say, smiling at him.

"If all I have to do to achieve that is make you food, I might do so more often." He gives me a warm smile, and I turn away, unable to handle him right now. He's ridiculous and bad for my heart.

I go into my bathroom, splashing water on my face to calm myself. After I look at my reflection for a minute, I sigh, undoing my braid and putting my hair in a regular ponytail. I haven't worn my hair like this in ages-since before I even met Hide-and I almost put it right back to normal. Taking a steeling breath, I grab all the things I'll need to clean up the mess I made and head back out into the kitchen.

Kurama's frying something, but he looks up when he hears me approach. I frown, focusing my attention on the blood on the ground; self-conscious is my middle name. I crouch down to get to work, and after a minute or so, I feel a hand brush my back, flicking my hair.

"I like it," Kurama says, making me shiver in the least appropriate way possible.

* * *

A/N: What's this? Character development? Gasp. On a list of chapters that were physically painful to write, this was one of them. This didn't turn out at all as I expected. It wasn't part of my grand master plan, but I'm glad it ended up the way it did. Extreme exhaustion does strange things to people, like bringing some PTSD to the forefront. At least it ends on a good note. Kurama is such a good boy, looking after my girl like that.

I'll be on vacation from school for a while, so I hope to be able to update regularly again *fingers crossed*. I've been writing a little ahead so I can keep up with things, but it's hard to juggle so many balls at once. At least I've written my least favorite part already. It's coming soon!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko, firemadein789, YukinaBlueRose, vodka-and-tea, and patlegrand3 for the reviews!


	42. White Night

After the third entrance exam, all I want to do is curl up in bed and die. The ones for Dai-ichi School for Girls and Gai Tech weren't too bad, but the one for Meiou kicked my butt, and it makes me wonder if there wasn't more I could have done to study.

When I get home, I sit down on the couch, going over answers in my head. After a while, I give up, getting to my feet and going through some exercises Hiei taught me for focusing my energy. I don't know how long I'm at it, but when the window slides open later, it's dark outside.

"Do you know how to use a door?" I ask Hiei as he jumps into the room.

"How many times will you ask that inane question?" he retorts.

"Until you start using the door like a normal person." I sigh, stretching my arms up as high as I can.

"Here." Hiei takes the ward off of the back of the couch, gesturing at it. "Test yourself."

Frowning, I raise a hand toward the piece of furniture. The last time I tried to see if I'd gained control of my fire, I set my bed aflame and had to buy a new one. Hopefully, this goes better.

Slowly, I summon fire into my palm before sending it forward, letting it touch the couch. When it doesn't immediately incinerate, I press on, coating the entire thing in flames. It's a delicate balance, focusing on my energy to keep the fire from burning what's underneath. After a solid minute, I pull back, panting.

Hiei inspects the couch before nodding his head. "Took you long enough, but I think you've got it in hand at last."

I stare in shock for a moment before breaking into a smile. "Yes!" I clap my hands together before ripping the ward off the wall and trying again. I cover the whole wall in flames, but not an inch of it gets burned. Turning to Hiei, he scowls.

"If you try to hug me, I will kill you."

"Pass," I reply, grinning. "Thank you so much!"

"Whatever." He heads back into his room, and I do a celebratory dance. Despite how exhausting my morning was, I can still say today was a good day.

…

Fun fact: Black Market Demon World goods are pretty easy to find if you know the right people. After calling up someone my father used to deal with and perusing his wares, I got a new scabbard for Hiei's sword as a thank-you present. If all my time thieving with the angry little guy taught me anything, it's how to judge valuable items. The scabbard I got is flameproof, scratch resistant, and may or may not be cursed, which I think Hiei would just enjoy even more.

Tucking it in the bag I brought along so I could inconspicuously carry something like that, I take the long way home from the alley where I bought it, meandering past shops I've never actually been in before. One of them catches my eye, and I peek inside to find...video games.

Arcades aren't altogether a foreign concept to me, but I've never actually been in one before. My previous experience with games wasn't all that pleasant, but it's so pretty inside, so I find myself walking in and looking around.

I don't know that I'm in there for more than a minute when I hear familiar voices.

"Eat shit!"

"Die, Urameshi!"

Oh, boy. I follow the shouting until I find Yusuke and Kuwabara, both of whom are engaged in a fighting game. They're smashing buttons as their characters duke it out on the screen, exchanging insults. I guess when actually beating each other up gets boring, this is the next best thing.

They're so focused that they don't even notice me creeping up on them. I poke the guys in their backs, making them jump and spin on me in tandem.

"Holy crap, Asaki, what's your problem?" Yusuke says, hand over his heart.

"We're in the middle of something serious!" Kuwabara adds.

"And you're dead," I tell him.

"What?" He turns around to find Yusuke's character the winner, striking a victory pose.

"Hell yeah!" Yusuke shouts. "That was awesome!"

"Rematch!" Kuwabara grunts.

"I've already kicked your sorry ass five times. Let Asaki give it a try." Yusuke gestures to the machine, and I shrug.

"I don't know how this works," I say. "First time in an arcade." Which results in the pair giving me a grand tour, showing me how to get change to play, and telling me which games are worth my time.

After losing repeatedly at all of the fighting games, we end up at one called "Goblin City." The title is dubious, but the guys assure me it's worth at least trying. Maybe we can break my terrible streak.

I put in my coins, settling in and preparing for the worst. It turns out, Goblin City involves randomly selected games with random difficulty levels. You have to beat a certain number of minion Goblins before you can face off with the Goblin King and win the game.

My first time through, I get stuck with games all at the highest skill level and fail miserably. The second time, however, the games leading up to the King are low enough that I pass them easily. When it's time to face the King, a trivia game comes up.

"I hate this one," Yusuke grunts. "It makes me feel stupid."

"Asaki should be a whiz at this," Kuwabara says. "You and Kurama were weird good with that one trivia show we watched before Christmas."

"I hope so," I mumble as the game starts. "I'm tired of losing." Turns out Kuwabara's right. I zip through the questions, acing it in a matter of minutes, making the boys laugh.

"Nicely done," Yusuke says. "If you win one more, you'll beat the King."

"What are the odds of that?" I reply. "This is the highest skill level, right?"

"Yeah. Don't feel bad if you lose. I haven't beaten the damn thing yet."

"That's because you're stupid," Kuwabara replies.

"Like you have room to talk."

"Shh," I hiss as the next game, something called "3-7" starts. Apparently, it's like mathematical Tetris. Blocks fall from the top of the screen with numbers on them ranging from 0-7. I have to line up three blocks to make them equal seven or line up three sevens to score points. It sounds confusing, and it takes me a minute or so to get the hang of it, but once I do, it's actually pretty easy.

In the end, I crush the Goblin King, frowning at the screen it shows next. "What does 'High Score' mean?" I ask, turning to look at Yusuke and Kuwabara. They're staring at me, mouths agape and eyes wide. "Guys?"

"Here," Yusuke grunts, leaning over the arcade cabinet. He proceeds to put three letters into the screen: ASA. "It means you got the highest score out of anyone on this game."

"On your first try too," Kuwabara says, sounding dumbstruck.

"It was actually fun," I reply as the next screen shows the Goblin King dying. Kind of brutal.

"Got to be careful, Urameshi, or she'll start beating us at video games too."

"Not going to happen," Yusuke says. "She sucks at everything except these nerd games."

"Jerk," I reply. "You're just jealous because I beat this game on my second try."

"You got lucky!"

This results in the three of us continuing to play in the arcade until I give up, tired of losing every game again. We part ways, and head home, fully-expecting the company that's there when I arrive. What I'm not expecting is what they're doing.

Kurama and Hiei are cooking...together. I was pretty sure Hiei didn't know how, considering the last time I caught him with a raw ramen packet, he'd been trying to eat the whole thing, packet and all. This is a bit much for me.

"Welcome home, Asaki," Kurama says, smiling. I wonder if he isn't taking to heart what I said yesterday about how cooking for me makes him my favorite person. What would he say if I told him he didn't have to do anything and that would still be true?

"I'm back," I mutter, frowning as I make my way over to them. I go to step into the kitchen, but before my foot can touch the tile, something repels me back. I put my hand up to find a barrier. "Um?"

"Sorry, Asaki. Hiei said you weren't allowed in," Kurama tells me.

"It's my house!" I shout, glaring at the small demon. "A barrier? How old are you?"

"I don't think that's a relevant question," Kurama replies mildly.

"Whatever," I grunt. I grab my bag off my back, pulling out Hiei's scabbard and chucking it at the barrier. It lets out an ear-piercing screech, making the boys start.

"What the hell is that?" Hiei snaps.

"A thank-you gift," I growl. "But I can probably pawn it for twice what it cost me to buy it."

Hiei walks over to the barrier, eyeing the scabbard through it. "It's cursed."

"I'm aware," I reply. "I thought you'd like a challenge."

He looks up, frowning. "We're making food. Come back later."

"Fine." I reach for the scabbard, but Hiei snatches it, opening the barrier just enough to pull it through. "Asshole," I grumble, turning and heading into my room, slamming the door behind me.

As irritated as I am about being kept out of a room in my own house, I'm also pleased that Hiei didn't reject my gift. I grab a book off my bookshelf, settling into bed, meanwhile maintaining a steady flame all around me. It's good practice.

I end up so focused on what I'm doing that I don't notice the knock on my door. "Asaki?" Kurama's voice makes me jump, and I fall out of my bed, singeing my blanket as I momentarily lose control of the fire.

"Son of a crap," I grumble, lying there, eyes closed.

"That's a new one." Looking up, I see Kurama leaning over me, an amused smile on his face. "Are you all right?"

"I've been better," I say. "This whole week has been a train wreck in progress."

"How did your exams go?"

"I hope you weren't looking forward to me going to your school," I reply.

"It can't have been all that bad."

I pull my braid over my shoulder, playing with the end. "Probably not, but it was definitely the hardest one."

"I'm sure it'll be all right," he tells me. "Would you like me to help you up?"

"Nah. I think I'll just stay here for the night."

"That would be a pity as Hiei worked very hard to make dinner for us."

"Why?" I push myself up on my arms, staring up at Kurama.

"Well, when I came in the house, he was trying to eat a pack of ramen noodles raw-"

"Again?" Kurama raises an eyebrow and I shrug. "No, this is not the first time."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Anyway, I told him I'd teach him how to cook a few things, and he told me to go to hell. After which he 'forced me' to show him."

"Why did that have to involve two of my best friends barriering me out of my kitchen?"

"Because apparently, the idea of being genuinely kind to others embarrasses our small comrade, and he didn't want you to interrupt lest he give up halfway through."

"He has no faith in me is what I'm hearing."

"Can you sincerely tell me you wouldn't have teased him?"

I grin. "I'm not even telling you now that I won't."

Kurama offers me his hand, and I take it, letting him pull me up. "What if I told you, for every word you say to him, I'll find a way to return in kind."

"Is that a threat?" I cross my arms, wondering what's gotten into Kurama tonight. He seems a little different than usual.

He gives me a look that warms every inch of me. "Test it and find out."

Oh, damn, but I want to. I don't even know what he has in mind, but something about the way he said that and the expression on his face makes me want to….

"Excuse me." Hiei's standing in the doorway looking supremely pissed. "Dinner is getting cold," he growls.

"What is dinner?" I ask him. "It smells delicious."

"Get your ass out there and you'll see, you moron." He stomps away, and I stare after him, rather glad he interrupted. I'm not entirely sure what all I'd been thinking about in regards to Kurama, but none of it was anything that could be done in public.

"Shall we?" Kurama gestures to the door, and I nod, forcing a smile.

"Time to see what damage you guys have done to my kitchen." I step out ahead of him, jumping when he pulls on my braid. I pull it over my shoulder, saying, "No touch." He chuckles, and I feel warm again. Melty, almost.

Stepping into the small dining room, I stop, staring in awe at the table. It's pork cutlet with rice, vegetables, and soup. It smells heavenly and it looks really good. I take a seat at a chair Kurama offers me. He pushes it in, and I sigh. Yeah, he's definitely weird tonight.

The guys sit down as well, and we dig in, my taste buds singing. "This is really good," I say, smiling.

"I'm glad, Kurama replies. "Hiei worked rather hard on it."

"Whatever," the short demon grunts. "It's just food."

"It's a lot better than eating raw ramen," I say. "Thank you, Hiei." He grunts, and we continue eating, a smile on my face.

…

The next day, at lunch, I go into Yusuke's classroom to find the two of them grumbling about something to Keiko.

"This day is so stupid!" Yusuke grunts.

"Agreed." Kuwabara sighs. "It doesn't mean anything if I can't see my sweet Yukina!"

"Grow up," Keiko replies. She catches sight of me, smiling. "Hey, Asaki."

"Yo. What's wrong with today?" I ask as I make my way over.

"Don't you know what day it is?" Yusuke says, frowning.

"The fourteenth of March?"

"You really don't know, do you? Sweet, that means I can eat these." Yusuke pulls some cookies out of his bag and goes to put one in his mouth when Keiko hits him.

"If you meant to give those to Asaki, then do it!" She turns to me, sighing. "It's White Day. That's the day the guys you give Valentine's chocolates to give you gifts too. They're usually white-themed, but they don't have to be. For example, Yusuke made you cookies."

Yusuke sighs, shoving the cookies at me. "My mom made them. I'm just passing them along."

"Um, thanks?"

"Same," Kuwbara says, handing me a little bag of white chocolate. "Shizuru made these. I'm going to go see Yukina later and give some to her too." He gets all moony, and I smile.

"Go get her, Kuwabara!"

"Don't encourage him," Yusuke says. "He'll be talking about her for the rest of the day."

"Shut up, Urameshi."

I think I'd like to have that as my alarm to wake me in the morning. Just Kuwabara's voice telling Yusuke to shut up.

…

"He gave you all of this?"

Kana is blushing as she shows Haruka and me the giant stuffed bear, the white chocolates and the bouquet of flowers her boyfriend, Eiji got for her. "Yes," she mumbles, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Oh my gosh, he's so cute!" Haruka cheers. "Eiji is my new favorite guy."

Kana looks up at her, glaring. "Haru. No."

"Not like that," she says, smiling. "Sorry, Kana. I've already got my sights set on someone."

"Kai?" I ask.

Her face goes red, and she elbows me. "No. Not...I mean…."

"Oh, gosh, it is Kai."

"Hey, if we're going to talk about my love life, what about yours?" Haruka points her finger at me. "You and Shuichi."

"Nothing new in that department," I reply.

"But at least you've admitted you like him," she says.

"I guess." I roll my shoulders, smiling.

There's a knock on the door, and Kai pops his head in, eyes narrowed. "There's a guy out there, asking for you, Asaki."

"For me?" I frown.

"That redhead. Shu something."

"Shuichi!" Haruka cheers, grinning. "Maybe he has something for you for White Day."

"Oh, geez, I hope not." I take a few breaths to slow my pounding heart before heading into the shop. Kurama's standing by one of the displays, so I creep up behind, poking him in the back.

He jumps, turning to face me and smiling. "Asaki."

"Heard you were asking for me," I tell him. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight," he says.

I frown. "I'll have to check my insanely busy schedule." Pretending to check, I sigh. "Sorry, I'm scheduled to hang out with this giant dork for the rest of the evening."

"Is that a fact?" he says, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yup. His name's Kurama. You might know him."

"He sounds like someone you can ditch for me," Kurama replies.

"Kurama, do you mind if I ditch you for Shuichi?" I ask, smiling.

"That's all right by me," he says. "I'll meet you after work."

"Sounds good."

…

We head to Kurama's house, the demon in question informing me that his mother and Mr. Hatanaka went out for dinner, so it'll be just the two of us. As much as I love his mother, I don't mind this either.

Kurama settles himself in the kitchen, refusing to let me help him as this is supposed to be his White Day gift to me. He thinks it's funny when I tell him that I didn't even know this day existed until this morning, so he could have gotten some free labor out of me.

"We only ever celebrated Valentine's Day, if you could call it celebrating. Hide usually just threw some flowers at me or something like that." Kurama raises an eyebrow and I say, "Okay, he didn't literally throw them, but that was the amount of feeling he put into it."

Once we'd eaten, the two of us watched TV and talked. After snooping while he was cooking, I'd discovered a game system, and now I make him play with me. As per usual, I do terribly, but I really feel like I'm getting the hang of things. We eventually end up playing Goblin City which apparently has a two-player mode where you can play certain games just for practice.

Kurama and I play through a bunch of them, him beating me each time, but when we get to "3-7", I actually manage to hold my own. He's really good at this game, however. Better than the Goblin King himself, I'd say. I don't know how long we're at it, but when the door opens, it's dark outside.

Pausing the game, we get to our feet, making our way over to Mrs. Minamino who is trying really hard to hide the smile on her face.

"Welcome home, mother," Kurama says.

"Thank you, Shuichi. And hello Asaki."

"Good evening," I say.

"I'm glad you're here, dear. There's something I want to tell the both of you." She walks into the living room, settling on the couch. Kurama and I sit on either side of her, waiting for her to speak. She looks absolutely beautiful in the fancy dress she's wearing, but it's more than that. Something amazing must have happened because she's practically glowing.

"Kazuya proposed!"

"Holy cow," I whisper as she clasps her hands together, looking from her son to me. That's when I notice the engagement ring on her finger.

"Congratulations, mother!" Kurama says. "That's wonderful news."

"Congrats," I say, smiling. "I'm so happy for you."

"Isn't it just wonderful? Oh, he was so sweet about it too." She smiles, her eyes growing distant as she remembers what happened. "I hope this is all right. Shuichi, you don't mind it, do you?"

"Of course not," Kurama says, and I'm struck again by how close these two are. Shiori Minamino would give up her happiness in this moment if the idea of her marrying Kazuya Hatanaka made her son unhappy. "I can tell he loves you very much and that he will cherish you."

"Oh, I'm so glad." She pulls Kurama in for a hug that he returns, the most peaceful smile gracing his face. It makes my heart hurt and sing in equal measures. When Mrs. Minamino releases Kurama, she hugs me too, and I gasp, making Kurama chuckle.

"We're planning on the fall. I hope that isn't too soon, but I don't think I could bear to wait. Shuichi, you'll have a father again and a brother now too!" She's gushing like a schoolgirl, and it's absolutely adorable.

"It will be nice to have a full house," Kurama says, smiling gently.

"I agree. Asaki, you'll still come around, won't you?" She looks at me, genuine worry in her face, and I have to take a sharp breath, bowled over by her whirlwind of emotions.

"Of course," I reply. "I'm way too far in this to even think about backing out now."

"It would appear you're stuck with us," Kurama adds, that gentle smile suddenly turning on me.

I look away immediately, effecting a shrug. "I guess it's a good thing I'm happy here."

"This is a wonderful day!" Mrs. Minamino says, putting her arms around the both of us. "I can't wait to start planning."

...

Kurama walks me home, and we chat about light, pleasant things. We walk past the park he'd taken me to what feels like ages ago. He quizzes me on the flower names, and I'm rather impressed with my memory of at least half of them. He's so patient as he helps me relearn them, and it makes me happy. Every moment with him just makes me want more and more.

As we approach my place, I find my steps slowing, wishing there were some way to stretch this moment just a little longer. Kurama matches my pace, but in the end, we stop outside my door.

"Thank you for dinner," I tell him, forcing a smile.

"You're welcome, Asaki. Thank you for sharing the night with me."

"Any time." _Literally, any time._ Ha. I'm so pathetic when it comes to him.

"I think my mother was very happy that you were so pleased for her."

"Her happiness is important to me too, you know?" I smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear in a self-conscious kind of way.

"I'm glad. Having the both of you smiling like that is a good end to this day." He reaches into his hair, and my eyes go wide as he pulls out a white rose. "Happy White Day, Asaki."

I take it, smiling for real this time. "Thanks." I breathe in the rose's heady scent, thinking about the wonderful guy in front of me. He's giving me the warmest look, and it takes my breath away. "H-have a good night," I tell him, turning and heading inside my house.

Hiei is nowhere to be found, which is good, because I'm a mess. A crazy, in-love mess. Stepping into my room, I gasp at what lies before me.

Every conceivable surface is covered in white rose petals, from the covers of my bed to the top of my dresser, all of my books and even the floor. I step inside, my feet caressed by the soft things, thoroughly in awe.

 _Stupid fox_. I can't wipe the grin from my face as I flop down on my bed, the petals floating up around me, releasing a lovely smell. I know for a fact this is going to be a pain to clean up, but right now, I don't care. The gesture is so sweet that I just lay there, feeling so incredibly blessed to be friends with Kurama and so completely at peace.

* * *

A/N: I managed to completely forget entrance exams were a thing, so I apologize. They're shoehorned in here, at the wrong time. My bad!

There's so much in this chapter, I don't even know where to begin. I just like seeing my girl happy and progressing in all her relationships. I don't know if this slow burn can get much slower, but it's moving, I promise!  
Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to vodka-and-tea, YukinaBlueRose, and mrs-landers for the reviews!


	43. Here's Our Taboo

It's about closing time for the bakery when something in my purse starts to ring. Wiping my hands free of the powdered sugar I'd been elbow-deep in moments before, I dig around until I find the little compact that we'd used as communicators what feels like ages ago, heading into the bathroom to flip it open.

Botan's face appears, and she breathes a sigh of relief. "Asaki!"

"Shh," I hiss. "I'm at work. What do you need?"

"Yusuke's been kidnapped!"

"Um." I stare at the mirror, confused. "Like, our Yusuke?"

"Yes, our Yusuke. How long until your shift is up?"

"We're closing now, but I offered to help one of my friends take some things home. Shoot."

"Well, we know where Yusuke's being kept. If I give you the address, can you be there by eleven?"

"Sure," I say, running a hand through my hair. I'm so confused. How could Yusuke get kidnapped? On top of that, why do they know where he is and why are they waiting until eleven to go save him?

"Hi, Asaki!" Kuwabara pokes his head into sight, and I give him a wave.

"Hi, Kuwabara. Now, I really have to go." Botan gives me the address, and I close the compact, stepping out of the bathroom and putting it back in my bag. I don't know how I'll be able to focus on anything with thoughts of a kidnapped Yusuke in mind.

"Asaki, wrap it up. We've got to go!" Haruka calls, poking her around the corner.

"Sorry," I reply, making my way over to the melon pan I'd been finishing off. I seal it up, putting it away and then head up front where Kana, Kai, and Haruka are waiting. Haruka's got several bags worth of books that she's been wanting to donate for a while. Apparently, we're taking them to the library to drop off in their donation bin. Why she wants to do this at night, I have no clue, but it might have something to do with the amount of manpower she has on her side.

Kai grabs a few bags, and Haruka and I get the remaining ones, the three of us setting out one way and Kana the other. Haruka tries to keep up a bit of chatter, but I'm so distracted by thoughts of what could be happening to Yusuke that she eventually gives up. It's times like these I wish Kai talked more.

When we finally make it to the library, Kai takes care of dropping everything in the donation bin, and then we part ways, me heading to the place Botan had said Yusuke was being held. Having been given an address and a general location, I get a little lost, panicking as the time gets closer and closer to eleven. I hope that isn't a hard deadline. I may not make it.

In the end, I stop outside a mansion that kind of looks like a haunted house and an artist's worst nightmare. The perspective is all wrong, with random parts of it appearing smaller or larger with no logical reasoning, the front archway repeats multiple times along the second floor, with the windows somehow matching the weird shapes being made by the pillars interrupting each other, and the lights on the roof are purpleish. This is definitely not normal human stuff.

I walk up to the door, wondering if everyone isn't inside already. It's only just past eleven, so they must be. Placing my hand on the door, I read a note tacked onto the outside: _Once entered, this do not ever utter the word hot_. A warning? Frowning, I step inside, giving my eyes a second to adjust to the dimmer lighting. It's just a large, empty room with a scissored door at the other end.

I walk toward it, but once my hand touches it, a sinking feeling settles into the pit of my stomach. What did I just walk into? This door opens with a whoosh, and I feel both relief and concern at what lies before me. It's a really warm room, and I wish I'd thought to change forms beforehand. As it is, I'm in my human form when a nasally voice I wish I didn't remember says, "Fashionably late?"

"Asaki!" Botan cries. Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara turn to look at me as I make my way over to Botan, arms crossed.

"Got lost," I mutter.

"Shuichi, your girlfriend looks a little out of her league." Yu Kaito. I would have paid money not to have to deal with him again.

"You're going to have to explain to me why that's a good joke," I growl. "Because I stopped finding it funny ages ago."

Kaito smirks, crossing his arms. "Too bad. I find it rather humorous."

"Get to the point, Kaito," Kurama says, looking agitated. "Why have you kidnapped Yusuke?"

"It's a real, grip-your-seat mystery, isn't it?" Kaito looks smug as can be, and I really just want to knock that smug look off his face. "Your team won something called the Dark Tournament recently, and I hear that's quite a feat."

I frown. How could he know about that? Does that mean he knows about everyone in our group? Or is he just bluffing us?

"Congratulations." Now he's just being an ass. "Really, I was most surprised about you, Shuichi. Try to put yourself in my shoes, learning my school rival can also do the funniest things with plants."

So, he does know. Kurama tenses up, and I find myself doing the same. Kaito's got to be a normal human. If he were a demon as well, Kurama would already know at least a bit of what he can do. Right now, I get the sense we're being cautious because we don't know.

Quite frankly, I don't know anything. How did Yusuke get caught by regular humans?

"Ooh. That's a scary look," Kaito continues. "I don't remember you ever making that face in the classroom."

Ugh, this guy is pathetic. "Pedant," I mumble, making Kurama sigh and Kaito glare at me.

"Normal humans don't interest me," he says, dismissing me with a glance. Huh. He knows about Kurama, and presumably about the other guys, but not me? There's no way he would have called me a normal human if he did.

"You see, I have special powers of my own. Being the great champions that you are, I was hoping I could test them out on you."

"Okay, this is ridiculous!" Kuwabara shouts. "We've been through stuff you couldn't even dream about."

"I'll take him," Hiei says, beginning to unsheathe his sword.

"I wouldn't do that," I tell him. "We're kind of on his playing field here."

"Whatever. You'll find my impatience for human fools an asset." Hiei jumps at Kaito, swinging his sword only for it to shatter against a force field. "What?" Hiei grunts as he jumps back.

"As you see," Kaito drawls, "this is a very special room where brute strength doesn't exist. Only your words have power here. Just make sure you follow my one, posted rule."

"The warning on the door," I whisper.

Kaito smirks. "You're not as dumb as you look."

"I wish I could say the same for you," I retort, gritting my teeth.

"Nice one, Asaki," Kuwabara grunts.

"Please. A child could have come up with that," Kaito replies, shaking his head. "Even as a child, I'm sure I would have been superior to you. I used to invent worlds with my own rules. Now, however, I've found I can do it for real. Growing up a bookworm, it's no wonder what I chose to rule out: violence.

"Here, Hiei, you're just a tiny, swordless man."

Oh, no. Ohhhhhhhhh, no.

"Hiei, control your temper!" Kurama cries, but the damage has already been done.

"Any buffoon can make a shield. How do we know your other claim isn't just a bluff?" Hiei spits.

"There's only one way," Kaito replies.

"No three-letter word can rule my fate. Hot." Suddenly, weird energy starts swirling around Hiei, turning his body to stone as his soul slides out, turning into a pinkish sphere in Kaito's hand.

"I told him not to doubt me," Kaito says, looking like a kitten who's gorged itself on milk. "That's what happens when you say the taboo word. Your soul becomes part of my territory."

Hiei's stone body falls to the ground, and I ball my hands into fists, feeling sick. Souls? This guy can take our souls for uttering his taboo?

Botan and Kuwabara rush to Hiei's side, but Kurama hasn't taken his eyes off Kaito. He's formulating a plan. Those crafty fox eyes don't miss much.

"You lose a point," Kaito says, like this is some kind of game. "We now have two hostages. Urameshi is having his fun upstairs, so what's your next move? Go home, or play through the round?"

I sigh, looking down at Hiei. If this whole thing turns out to be some kind of high-stakes pissing contest, I will burn this whole house down.

"It's a kick, your lifestyle. Secrets, dueling opponents with powers. I've only had mine for a month, but I've put in a lot of practice. The guys and I call it manifesting our territories."

"Clever," I mumble. If all we have to do is not say the word hot, this could go on forever. How do we know who's the winner? Better question, how do we make Kaito lose?

"So far, I've gotten to a ten-meter radius around me. As long as I concentrate, everything inside it has to follow the rules that I set. Imagination turned to physical law."

"By that logic, if we incapacitate you, Hiei's soul will return to its body," Kurama says.

"I don't know. Maybe. No one's beaten me yet, so it hasn't come up."

"Cretin." I shake my head, looking at Kurama as Kuwabara goes off on Kaito. "He's forcing us to play, and he's the only one who knows all the rules. What do we do?"

"I'm working on that," Kurama mutters.

"Looks like he has a brain after all," I catch Kaito saying. "Only that option isn't valid." What did Kuwabara do this time?

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara grunts.

"You can't get through a door if you don't have the proper key." That's when I hear a door click shut, a guy with a tall mohawk locking it and tucking the key in his shirt pocket.

"You mean, Urameshi's through there?"

"Let's just say that's the first step," Kaito replies. "But, Yanagisawa has the only key."

"Ha. Now this I can handle."

Exasperated, I run a hand over my face. "I might just go home," I mutter as Kuwabara makes his way down the hallway toward the mohawk guy.

"Cute that you still think you can go somewhere," Kaito replies. "You're in my territory. You do as I say."

"Brute force doesn't work here," I snap, "but if I really didn't care, I could end this entire thing in the span of a few seconds."

"Doubtful," Kaito replies.

"Asaki." Kurama puts a hand on my shoulder, and I sigh.

"Yes, mom," I grunt, shrugging him off me.

"As charming as you two are, I think your focus is on the wrong thing," Kaito says. "Have you finally decided?"

"I'll play by your rules, Kaito. Whatever they are." Kurama glares daggers at his classmate, and I shudder. Souls are on the line, and I feel a little ashamed about my earlier words. I may want to go home, but I can't possibly leave everyone behind.

Botan and Kuwabara find chairs for us, and we all settle in, a heavy silence filling the room. If the only stipulation is to not say "hot", then how can this possibly end? None of us are as foolish as Hiei. At least, I don't think we are.

"I'm tired of this," Kuwabara grunts. I notice he's sweating, and I wonder if it really is that warm in here. I'll take it over being cold any day. "We're still allowed to talk, right? We just can't say the H-you-know-what word." Kaito doesn't say anything, merely flipping through his book.

"Hey, Kurama," Kuwabara says, looking at the demon in question who's calmly sitting, one leg crossed over the other. "You said you had school with this dork. What else do you know about him?"

Kurama looks over at Kaito who, I notice, has stopped reading. "Yu Kaito. My classmate, as we've said. He's garnered much attention at my school in light of his IQ results. His intellect is ranked at the genius level, with some of his scores the highest since the school's inception."

"Well, that's a roundabout way of bragging, isn't it, Shuichi?" Kaito finally lowers his book, making eye contact with Kurama. "If I'm such a prince, you must be the king, since you always beat me on tests." No surprise there, as Kurama is incredibly old and relies on his wits to get him out of tight spots,

"Cumulatively, yes, my grades are superior," Kurama continues. "But, in certain subjects such as language and literature, you far surpass me." I frown, looking closely at Kurama's face. He's not the kind of person to talk up his opponent or talk down himself insincerely. Kaito really must be something else. Other than an ass. "You've even published essays on literary theory."

"So, he's a young genius writer, huh?" Kuwabara says through gritted teeth. _Words we could never apply to you_ , pops into my head, but I hold my tongue. Kurama might scold me again, and I can't say I enjoyed the first time. Or the second. Or the twentieth. _Yeah, shut up, me._

"I bet we're cooler than anything you've ever read in a book," he continues.

"Not really," Kaito replies, and I sigh.

"It's so obvious what you're trying," Kuwabara grunts. "Making us sweat it out in this room so we'll say your magic word. I mean, it must be a hundred degrees."

"Eighty, actually. With 80 percent humidity. I keep my room like this so I can raise my tropical plants. My tribute to Shuichi." Oh-kay, that's creepy. But...plants. _Plants._ I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, putting my head in my hands. All right, Kaito.

"But, if the conditions are making you thirsty, I've plenty of drinks in the fridge." I didn't even notice that thing when I first came in here. Then again, I never seem to notice much in my human form. Why did I come into a dangerous situation without shifting? I would do it now, but the idea that Kaito doesn't know about it makes me feel like I have the upper hand somehow.

Kuwabara gets up, and Kaito laughs as the orange-haired guy makes his way toward the fridge. "What are you chuckling at, bookworm? Did you poison them? Maybe you should drink one first."

"Waste all my talent poisoning you? I think not."

Someone's stuck on himself. "Think about it, Kuwabara. He's not after the easy win. If he didn't use his powers to defeat us, what would be the point after he's made such a big deal out of them?" I say, leaning back in my chair.

"Astute observation, although I don't know that your tone was quite right," Kaito replies, a wry smile on his face. "There was no fear there."

"Coincidentally, I'm not afraid of you," I state as Kuwabara stomps over to the fridge.

"Uh, hold up, Kuwabara!" Botan hops out of her chair, hurrying over and opening the fridge. "Why don't you let me get that? I, uh, want to keep my hands full."

What is she really thinking? I lean forward in my seat, watching them closely.

"Let's see. OJ? It's better for you than soda," she says, looking up at Kuwabara.

"That's fine. Just pour it over ice and we can share with each other as long as we have two straws," he replies.

"Your confidence in my health is charming," Botan deadpans, turning back to the fridge as Kuwabara's form suddenly stiffens, his soul leaving his body as he turns to stone as well.

"What?" I gasp.

"That can't be!" Botan gets to her feet, looking horrified at Kuwabara's lifeless body.

"Good," Kaito says. "Victim two." Kuwabara's soul glows yellow in Kaito's hand, and he hangs it in the air beside Hiei's, chuckling.

"But, why?" Kurama snaps, getting to his feet.

"You're cheating, Kaito!" Botan cries. "He never came close to saying hot!"

I smack my hand over my face, groaning, "Botan!"

"Ahh! I goofed!" Botan's soul leaves her body too, and I feel my stomach lurch. Three of us gone, just like that. I really hope Kurama has a plan.

"That's three," Kaito says, holding Botan's blue soul. "I can't believe that was so easy."

"You're disgusting," I spit, shaking my head as I get to my feet and walk over to Botan. Her body is stone cold, and the sight makes me shiver. There's something about watching someone who can't even fight back getting sucked into all of this that makes me nauseous.

"You seem to be a little smarter than I give you credit for, Asaki," Kaito says. "Does hanging out with these fools make you happy?"

"Fools they may be, but they're my friends. I swear, if they don't come back to me in one piece-"

Kurama takes my hand, cutting my words short. The look in his eyes is dark. Very dark.

"Forgive me for not explaining the specifics," Kaito says as though he hasn't just stolen the souls of three of my closest friends. "I didn't think your friends could handle it. In my territory, you can't say the letters h, o, and t in a row, even if they are parts of different words. It's no simple child's game. It's a puzzle of diction, and I can't bend the rules."

"That's fair enough," Kurama replies, his voice terse. I hate that part of me admires the thoroughness of Kaito's territory. It wouldn't be so bad if he weren't such an awful person.

"Souls are so pretty. I like girls' best. Souls are the only thing you can't make stronger by training. You can only make them darker." Kaito pauses for a moment, before asking, "What do you think, Shuichi? Should I darken mine by breaking these? It feels so strange, having this much power over people. You must feel it all the time."

Kaito smiles as Kurama sits back in his chair. "Yes, maybe I'll make a little scratch," Kaito says, making my skin crawl.

"I'm warning you." I tear my gaze from the souls, chilled by Kurama's low voice and the expression on his face. There's murder in his eyes. "You so much as bruise what's in your hand and I'll show you pain. The hue of your soul will cease to matter because you will not be judged when you die. You will no longer exist."

I believe him. Kurama doesn't make idle threats, and his words make my heart race in fear and...excitement? Something about this side of Kurama brings out the sadist in me. The same thing happened at the Dark Tournament when Yoko was fighting Karasu.

"Interesting," Kaito says, so confident that he isn't even phased. I wonder what it's like being that delusional. "You'll have to show me how to talk like that once I've beaten you."

I walk slowly over to my chair again, relieved to sit lest my legs give out from all the shocks of today. I don't know how much more of this crap my human form can take.

"How long can you afford this brazen facade?" Kurama asks, and I find myself smiling weakly as he holds up a key. My hero.

"What the?" Kaito's smug face falls for a moment as he says, "How did you get that key?" The guy gets up, looking back at his cohort in the back hallway. "Yana!"

"He's bluffing you, man," Yana says. "I got it here in my pocket." Yana reaches into his shirt pocket, but he comes up empty. "I-it's gone! But he never even came in the hall."

That's when we all look up to see a plant's vine stretching across the ceiling, all the way down to where Yana is standing. "I was not stopped," Kurama says, "as I refrained from violence. I merely borrowed the key from your coat pocket."

I'm gushing. If I were stuck here with anyone else, I might have cause to be afraid, but Kurama's so amazing. I refuse to believe that Kaito could outwit him. I would gladly shake the hand of someone who could.

"Seems we can use our powers in your territory as long as we follow the rules," he continues, making some of Kaito's plants grow around him. Tribute to Shuichi indeed.

"So, you picked my pockets with some greenery? You are a first-class freak," Yana grunts.

"Like you have room to talk," I snap.

"Whatever!" Yana shouts. "I don't even know why you're here. You're just a normal human."

"Ha." Wouldn't that be nice. I pluck a leaf from one of the plants Kurama's put his energy into, balancing it on my nose. "Humans."

"Keep those souls in perfect condition, Kaito," Kurama says, looking mildly at me before turning his glare on his classmate. "You've found yourself in over your head."

* * *

A/N: Welcome, welcome, to the start of the canon stuff again! Chapter Black is an actual pain in the butt to write through, and I'm looking forward to being done already! Asaki has absolutely no interest in Kaito, and I used to share her feelings, but another fan helped me give him a chance. That won't stop Asaki from wanting to torch him, but it does allow me to have future plans for him if all goes well.

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to bluerose921, YukinaBlueRose, and for the reviews!


	44. Twin Souls

I'll give Kaito a little credit. He's not losing his cool, and I know if I were on the receiving end of Kurama's threats, I'd be in bad shape. Then again, I don't think Kaito knows his classmate nearly as well as he thinks he does.

"You can't intimidate me," Kaito says. "I have the upper hand. You have to beat me at _my_ game."

"Tell me," Kurama says, completely disregarding Kaito's words, "is it possible to change your taboo?" Kaito frowns, so Kurama continues. "Naturally, none of the three of us will say the word. Thus, we're locked in a stalemate."

I think I just enjoy watching Kurama's brain work. The way he formulates plans is so far beyond me, but it's entertaining and kind of exciting. Once again, I'm beyond glad I'm not his opponent.

"I was hoping we could increase the challenge."

 _Ah. Thanks, fox boy. We need more of a challenge._

"Of course, Shuichi, I've been planning that all along," Kaito practically purrs. "I don't want to beat my great adversary with a simple word gag. I want a true battle of wits. I can change the rules whenever I please."

At which the point further sinks home that Kaito has essentially forgotten I'm here. His eyes are on the prize: beating Shuichi Minamino at last. A real pissing match indeed. I sigh, something tickling my nose. Maybe I'm allergic to one of the plants in here. If I turn into a demon and sneeze fire, I bet Kaito still wouldn't notice me.

"Then let me determine the rules of the word game, and I assure you." Kurama points a finger at Kaito as he says, "I will force you to speak the taboo within 45 minutes and thereby free my friends' souls."

Damn, he's cool. However, I get this weird feeling Kurama's forgotten about me too. I know he's focused on saving our friends, but maybe he's enjoying the idea of the challenge as well. Man, I hate guys.

"Oh?" Kaito says. "You're that confident you can outwit me?" Kurama smiles, but it doesn't touch his eyes, which is probably the most telling thing of all. He's going to enjoy this. "And what if you can't get me to break the rules in 45 minutes?" Kaito asks.

"Then you may have my soul as well." For the absolute love of all things.

"Oh my," Kaito says, and I think he may have just been turned on by that, which might make me puke.

"So," Kurama says, his voice low, "you in? Or will you cower from a game in which you _clearly_ have the advantage." I'm trying not to be impressed at how good Kurama is at egging Kaito on.

Before he gets the chance to speak any further, I say, "What about me?" The boys both turn to look at me, and I sigh. "Yeah, surprise I'm still here. Whatever rules you make in this territory, I still have to abide by."

"I suppose you could just keep your mouth shut," Kaito says.

"Uh-huh, really cute. If I do that, on the very _very_ slim chance Kurama loses, that leaves you with me. You did a good job pretending his threat didn't scare you, but, unlike Kurama, I don't like you even a little right now. I will not hesitate to end you, and I don't play with my food like he does." I jab a finger at Kurama who sighs.

"Asaki, don't-"

"You're not my father," I snap at him. "Although, if you're going to keep making decisions without me, I may have to make comparisons." He stares at me, eyes wide, and I cross my arms, shaking my head. "I'm really not in the mood. I'm sorry, but if I have to play this game too, at least let me get out my frustrations before things start."

"I'm still trying to figure out how much of a threat you seem to think you are," Kaito says, looking me over. "And why."

"Keep talking and you might find out. I already know you didn't care about beating the rest of our team. It's all about you beating Kurama. I love my friends, but I'm not stupid, and I won't slip up like they did. So, the only way I'll fall out of this is if I make my own bet, or I kill you. Quite frankly, I'm not feeling like getting in trouble, so I'll bet."

"I'm all ears," Kaito says.

"I'll throw in my soul with Kurama's. If he loses, so do I."

"Asaki," Kurama says, his voice terse.

"Two reasons." I hold up my fingers to him. "First, I trust you for some stupid reason. Second, I've never lost a bet."

"There's a first time for everything," Kaito drawls. "Your faith in Shuichi will be your downfall. I accept your bet, and I accept the challenge. So, let's hear the taboo that ended Shuichi and his girlfriend's lives."

I won't even dignify that one with a response, instead letting Kurama do whatever the hell he has planned. I hope it's good.

"It starts with one letter, but as time moves forward, we eliminate more. There are 26 letters in the alphabet and 45 minutes to play. Thus, everyone 104 seconds, we will lose another letter we can say, starting from the end at Z and moving backwards."

"Yes, and at the end of the game, every letter will be taboo," Kaito says.

"That sounds like how that works, all right," I drawl, sighing. This would be actual fun if I wasn't the tiniest bit afraid.

"Fascinating imagination," Kaito says, ignoring me."Let's see. It's fifty minutes after midnight. Why don't we start neatly at one?"

"Sounds perfect," Kurama replies, leaning back in his chair.

I close my eyes, rubbing my arms as I think about what's about to happen. A word game for our souls. This is the epitome of stupid. Stupid fox. Stupid bookworm. Stupid Yusuke for getting kidnapped however the hell that happened.

"Dare I ask what's running through your mind?"

I look up at Kurama, sighing. "Unless you want to hear how angry I am right now, then no."

"A distraction then?" he asks.

"Tell me a story, Kurama- _nii-san_."

Kaito snorts, and Kurama sighs. "I'm not sure why you feel the need to do that."

"It's been a long day," I reply. "And now I'm here betting my life because Kaito has a crush on you."

"Very funny," Kaito replies, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I was right before, you really shouldn't talk."

"I don't need violence to break you," I growl, glaring at him. For the briefest of moments, I see fear flicker behind his eyes before it's replaced with that same smug look.

"Your friend, Yusuke, ran afoul of me and my comrades. What more do you need to know?"

"Why you kidnapped him in the first place? What the hell you want with the rest of us? Whatever." I get to my feet, walking over to the stone statues of my friends. "I don't even care. I just want this dumb game over."

"You could surrender now," Kaito replies.

"It really wouldn't be wise to rile her up any further," Kurama states as I clench my hands into fists. "Whoever your source was for what each of us can do apparently gave you no information on her."

"What does it matter? You can't hurt me in my territory."

"We can't use brute force here," I say, not looking his way. "But, as Kurama has already demonstrated, our powers still work. Keep talking, and I'll be more than happy to introduce you to mine. The sound of screaming ought to be enough to break your taboo."

Silence meets my words, and I run a hand over my face before taking the tie from my uniform and using it to tie up my hair if only for something to do. Turning, I sit back down, saying, "Sorry, Kurama. I promise, I won't kill him."

"Comforting," he replies. Kaito doesn't respond this time, and I wonder if he isn't starting to believe my threats. "The only thing that would make me happier right now would be if you stopped with the older brother jokes."

"Fine," I reply. "If they really bother you that much, I will."

"Thank you."

"You two really aren't dating, are you?" Kaito asks.

"No, we're not," I reply, shaking my head.

"Huh. Go figure. Not that it will matter much soon." He looks up at the clock. "A minute to go."

When the clock strikes one, the game begins.

"Better get any Z words out of you before they're taboo," Kaito chimes, smirking. "Zealous zebras and crazy zig-zippers."

"I don't know that all of those were words," I reply, rolling my head around on my neck.

"You wouldn't," he replies, and I sigh, resolving to just keep my mouth shut. This guy brings out the worst in me.

The time ticks down, and we lose "Z". "The next will be more of a challenge," Kaito says. "We'll forfeit the letter 'Y'." _Yes, thank you, Kaito, we know how the alphabet works._ "Why, oh why, do we lost the letter 'y'? What if we need to cry?" With a smug look in Kurama's direction, he says, "I find this game _very enjoyable_ , don't _you?_ " emphasizing the words with "Y" in them.

"Be careful, Kaito. You'll tire yourself and make a mistake," Kurama replies.

Kaito sits back in his seat, eyeing me. "Nothing from the peanut gallery?" I level him a murderous glare, and he shrugs. "Suit yourself."

Letter by letter we lose in silence, and I'm starting to fall asleep when Kaito says, "At last, a challenge! It's rather remarkable so much I use those last letters."

"Losing "S", "T", and "U" should be a greater obstacle," Kurama says. With a glance at me, he says, "Tired?"

"A bit. It's late for me."

"Bed time, princess?" Kaito sneers as we lose the next letter. I roll my eyes, rubbing my nose. _Why so itchy?_

More and more letters gone to the press of time. Kaito continues to prod Kurama. "A challenging mind game, Minamino. Ready for...conceding?"

"No."

"Inform me. A plan cooking here?"

"Running clock. Forbidding more of freedom." It sounds like they're taking darts and chucking them at words to make sentences. It would be funnier if the time wasn't slowly but surely running out.

Kaito gets to his feet, and Kurama says, "Going off?"

"Need a john," is Kaito's reply, as we lose the letter "O".

I scrunch up my nose at his necessary word choice, making my nose itch even more. That's when it happens. " _Achoo!_ " I let out this huge sneeze, feeling a lot better for all of two seconds before I realize what I've done.

"Dammit," I mutter, glancing at Kurama who looks petrified. Suddenly, it feels like my insides are being ripped out of me. I close my eyes, expecting to just sort of...I don't know, stop being? What happens instead is I feel fire racing through my veins. That's weird.

When I open my eyes, Kurama is staring at me still, surprised. I look over at where the souls are gathered and see a white one added to the mix. I think that's me. At least, it feels like me. So, what happened? Instinctively, I reach for my hair, pulling a long braid over my shoulder, which is when I realize I'm in demon form. Somehow, my soul got split, demon and human. Is that even possible?

All I know for sure is that it pisses me off. I turn my glare on Kaito who looks confused as I start to burn. Fire leaps from my skin, incinerating the chair beneath me. I send it over his table and the taboo sheet, but I don't let those burn. I don't know if I could even if I wanted to. We're still bound by Kaito's rules.

"Bad game," I growl at him, and he shakes his head, turning and heading into the bathroom. When he disappears from sight, I pull all of my fire back in me, looking down at my hands. I try to shift into human form, but it's like there's nothing there. I'm just expending my energy on nothing.

It should feel wrong, losing a part of me. And yet...it doesn't. It's like it never existed in the first place. I wrap my arms around myself, taking slow breaths. A hand falls on my shoulder, and I look over at Kurama.

 _Are you okay?_ he mouths.

I nod, looking from him to my soul and back again. I hold up my fingers, mouthing _Two souls?_ To which he shakes his head. So, he doesn't get it either. _Plan?_

Which prompts a nod from him. _Can you make it hotter in here?_

"Mm." I radiate heat from my body, looking over at him.

He gives me a smile before saying, "Hide." But where? Before I can even ask, I feel his energy whirl around me. Suddenly, we're in a tropical plant forest, all of Kaito's greenery growing way out of control. Or at least, out of Kaito's control.

Giving my hand a squeeze, he lets go, turning his attention elsewhere. I suppress a sigh as I walk off into the plants, finding a spot to wait where I can see but not be seen. Kurama's got the situation in hand, I just know he does. He'll get all of our souls back. I believe in him.

I watch as he uses his plants to knock out Yana before climbing onto the giant light hanging overhead. I wonder if he doesn't plan to scare Kaito into speaking the taboo.

When the bespectacled human comes into sight, I can tell he's upset. The expression on his face changes from relief at the sight of the souls, which must mean he contemplated Kurama leaving them behind, to confidence in himself, which means he thinks he's won, to my personal favorite, fear. I'm sure he's trying to think of how Kurama plans to make him lose. The problem is, even if Kaito doesn't think he's underestimating the fox demon's intellect, he probably is. Kurama's sly and quick-witted to a degree this guy hasn't even begun to comprehend. To him, Shuichi Minamino is still just a classmate.

When the only letters left are "A" and "B", Kaito covers his mouth, and Kurama starts to move, using his plants and years of banditry to silently lower himself, hanging upside down from the ceiling. He gives me a wink, and I swear, my heart skips a beat. Of course, I'm not hidden well enough for someone like fox boy to miss.

Kurama cups his hands around his mouth and yells, "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Kaito jumps, doing everything he can to suppress any sounds as we lose another letter. When he's regained himself, he turns, ready to rub in his victory. I spin around on the spot, biting my cheek as hard as I can to keep from laughing as Kaito's own laughter echoes through the room.

I hope that demon continues to surprise me. I really, really hope that never stops because the sheer delight I feel every time he does outrivals just about every other feeling I've ever experienced. I didn't know he could make a face that ridiculous, and I have to take deep breaths to keep from losing it.

"Noooo!" Kaito cries, and I hear him fall to the ground. I feel his territory dissipate, and when my human soul returns to my body, I sigh in relief. Kaito's plants return to their normal state as our friends regain their own souls, and we're all left staring at Kurama, who is sitting in his chair like he's just won a friendly game of chess.

"All right!" Kuwabara cheers. "I'm back in the flesh!"

"Kaito's territory is no more," Kurama says as I make my way over to the rest of the group.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara grunts, glaring at Kaito's prone form, his soul a green orb floating above his chest. "Out-tricked at his own crazy game of pretend. He got it in the end. But man, we'd be toasted without you, Kurama." Kuwabara turns on Hiei, and shouts, "And no thanks to you! Getting us in trouble with your 'I'm so tough' crap!"

"Hm." Hiei just looks away, and I find myself smiling as Kurama gets to his feet, coming to stand by my side.

"It's true, he nearly had us." Kurama says. "Ironic, despite all his grave intentions, the one thing to unravel him was a laugh."

I look up at him, smiling. "Well done."

"I'm glad I'm a safe bet," he replies.

"Always."

…

"Nap time is over."

Yana gets to his feet, looking at each of us in turn, and I can tell he's put two and two together. If we're all standing here, that means Kaito has lost. After trying to press forward into the house, this irritance is what's stopping us. I'm beyond irked right now, but I'm doing what I can to keep my fire in check. I'd decided to stick with demon form just in case I need some firepower.

"Looks like you guys defeated Kaito. Very impressive." He chuckles with false bravado, and I sigh, tugging at my braid. I've had enough of this for the day.

"So far," Kurama says, holding up two keys, "we've only been successful in opening two doors that lead to the subsequent room."

"Don't tell me that's the reason you woke me up," Yana drawls.

"We woke you up," Kurama snaps, "because we discovered this posted warning. The one that says Yusuke dies if we open the door without your approval." He holds the paper with the offending script up to Yana who grins.

"That is a good reason."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll give us your approval," Hiei says. "Unless you have a death wish."

"May I remind you that those kind of tactics don't work here, Hiei?" Yana replies, cool as can be. "So, keep your mouth shut and do exactly as I tell you."

Hiei grits his teeth, but he doesn't rise to the bait like last time. Honestly, I want to remind Yana what will work, regardless of his territory, but I don't feel like another scolding from Kurama. Better to just play by their rules for now.

"It really chaps my hide that we have to stand here and swallow this dweeb's abuse," Kuwabara grunts.

Yana laughs, clearly mocking us before turning and leading us through the next room with enough stairwells in enough colors to choke a horse.

"Geez, it's like you've got your own stair museum," Kuwabara says, looking around.

"Yusuke is on the next floor up," Yana says. "Each one of you's got to take a different staircase to get to him."

"What?"

"What's your reason for separating us?" Kurama asks.

Yana chuckles again, his bravado getting on my nerves. Anger is easier for me to hold onto than anything else, and it's keeping me from being afraid, at least for now. "My reason? It's like the old saying goes: that's for me to know and you to find out."

"Listen, weasel-!" Kuwabara starts, only to be interrupted by Kurama.

"Kuwabara! I understand your frustration, but if we wish to save Yusuke, we must comply."

"Burning down the building isn't an option, is it?" I ask. Kurama sighs, and I put up my hands. "I'm kidding. Come on, it was a joke." Mostly.

"Oh! I forgot!" Botan says. She crouches down, slapping a suitcase I hadn't noticed she was carrying. "I knew this stuff would come in handy." It opens, and she digs around inside. "Now, let me see. Here it is!" She pulls something out, getting to her feet and striking a pose.

"This clever little gadget is guaranteed to blow you away!" she says like she's doing a commercial while holding a little disc with a white space in the middle in one hand. "The always stylish Mejiru seal!"

Kuwabara sighs. "Oh, no, here we go." In the deadest voice possible, he says, "But Botan, what does it do?"

Completely unperturbed, Botan says, "Glad you asked! It's a modified version of the inmate tattoo tracking system used in Spirit World jail." She sticks it to Kuwabara's chest, making him jump before continuing. "Only the applier can remove it!" Kuwabara tries to pull it off to no avail, but Botan gets it right away.

"What else?" Kuwabara asks.

"If the person who attaches the seal dies, it will automatically fall off. Also, the seal will change colors to indicate that person's physical status."

"I see," Kurama says as Botan passes them out. "So, we should write our names on the seals and attach them to one another. Then, we'll know immediately if someone is hurt. Hopefully, these are allowed." He looks over at Yana who shrugs.

"Whatever, I don't care." He's acting more like this is someone else's scheme than his own. I wonder if the mastermind isn't still to come.

We write our names, sticking them to each other until everyone but Hiei has the seals. "I don't need them," he sneers.

"Of course you do," Botan says. "Don't you want to know we're okay?" She moves to put one on him, and he grabs her hand.

"Touch me, and I break your wrist." Kurama, ignoring this, sticks one on Hiei.

"Could it be that Hiei has already forgotten that his soul was the first to be lost?" Kurama asks.

I almost laugh as the short demon lets the rest of us stick on the seals. After that, we each pick a staircase. For some reason, looking up into the darkness sends a chill down my spine. I hope that's just nerves and nothing else.

"Asaki?" I jump at the sound of Kurama's voice. "Are you all right?"

"Fine, fine," I say. "See you on the other side." With that, I walk forward, into that darkness. It's pitch black for all of a second before the air grows cold, and I step into a world of white. The stairs in front of me are made of ice, but the rest of the room is white, empty, and cold. So cold.

* * *

A/N: All right, we're back, and the canon plot is all over the place! Have I mentioned how much I hate Kaito? He's grown on me, but at this point in the game, I hate him as much as ever! Also, this is pretty late by now, but happy anniversary to A Hand to Hold! Been posting this up here for just over a year now.

Thanks for reading, and many thanks to Silverwing013 (you know you're the reason Kaito is getting a chance in my book), YukinaBlueRose, vodka-and-tea, ParanoiaDangerHeart, and mrs-landers for the reviews! You guys rock!


	45. Secret Tunnel

I can feel my brain going into meltdown mode, my legs giving out. Hitting the ground hard, I just manage to catch myself before falling completely as a shiver races through me. _Cold. Why is it always cold?_ I can't move. I can't breathe.

 _Focus, dammit._ On what? _Your moron friend waiting at the end for you._ He's not a moron. _Uh-huh._ Okay, he is a moron, but…. What the hell am I doing?

Fire. Fire racing through my veins, dancing across my skin. It only lasts for a second, but it's enough to get my body moving again. Tears stream from my eyes, freezing before they can fall, so I can't see very well, but thankfully, there's only one direction to go: up.

I'm crawling, the cold biting through my skin, but I can't stop. Fear threatens to freeze me in place, but I push through, ignoring all of the thoughts that want to trap me here. _You're all alone. All alone._ _All…._

I bump into a door at the top, and suddenly, it isn't cold anymore. If I look behind me, the stairs just look normal, but I know they were icy before. Getting to my feet, I brace myself against the door, which falls open. I stumble into the room, my legs giving out on me once more.

"What the hell took you so long?" I look over at Hiei, my eyes just barely registering the room and everyone else in it as he snarls, "You're pathetic."

"S-sorry!" I stammer, tears in my eyes. "I'm sorry. I know, I'm sorry."

"That's the fake one," Yusuke says.

"Not funny!" Botan cries, and suddenly she's kneeling in front of me. "Asaki, honey, look at me." I stare into her purple eyes, trying to focus on her face. "Are you all right?"

I take a deep breath, in...out...and I lean forward, resting my head on her shoulder for a moment. "I'm okay. S...sorry." Botan helps me to my feet, walking me over to where everyone else is standing.

Yusuke is facing us, his arms crossed, a guy with blond hair standing behind him. "Welcome to the party. You look rough." I don't say anything, and he sighs.

"Apparently," Botan says, "one of us is a fake, and they've switched us out with someone else."

"Neat," I reply, taking a deep breath. _It's okay. I made it. I'm fine._

"So, I have to ask you a question to make sure it's really you because right now, I'm suspicious," Yusuke drawls. For someone who was kidnapped, he doesn't look much the worse for wear.

"Shoot," I reply, affecting nonchalance.

"What's your boob size?"

"Excuse me?"

"I asked Botan, and she told me."

"I most certainly did not!" Botan shouts. "Yusuke, you pig."

"All right, relax already. It was just a joke. Besides, their size changes depending on if she's human or demon anyway."

"I hate that you know that," I reply, gritting my teeth. "If we weren't trying to save you, I'd threaten to kill you."

"All right, already. Well, do your thing."

"My thing?"

"Where you turn into a human. I'm pretty sure these guys can't copy that." I change forms and then swap back to being a demon. _Safer this way_. "All right, well I'm stumped. But guys, what's the deal with the stupid-looking name tags?"

Botan grits her teeth before shouting, "If a certain someone had listened when I was explaining their tools to them, they'd know that these are your Mejiru seals!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Sorry about that." He doesn't look sorry.

"You know, sometimes I think you might be the impostor," she says, pointing at him. The regular antics make me smile, and I relax a little against Botan. She shifts just a bit, taking my hand in hers and squeezing like she knows I'm trying to calm down still. Stupid cold.

"Wait, those are the ones where the only one who can take off the seal is the one who put it on, right?"

"Yes, because both humans and demons have their own unique energy print."

"Hey, that's it!"

Like a light bulb turning on, we all approach each other, Botan tugging me forward a little.

"The impostor cannot remove the seal," Kurama says. "All right. Ready?" Everyone nods, and we reach out, each person taking their seal from someone else. They all come off…. "This is rather troubling."

"What the hell?" Yusuke asks.

"This smells fishy, guys," Kuwabara says.

"But this is impossible!" Botan cries. "These things are supposed to be foolproof."

"I think we're beyond fools," I mumble.

"So, there was never an impostor to begin with," Hiei snaps.

"Good guess," blondie says, "but I assure you, there's a fake." Something about this guy seems off to me. If he's not the mastermind behind this either, who is? I really hope there isn't another person we have to make it past. "Yanagisawa's power is Copy, and that is why your seals don't work. He has the ability to copy not only someone's appearance but their voice, their mannerisms, their memories, and yes, even their so-called energy print. He could copy your own mother and you could never tell the difference."

"Bastard," Yusuke grunts.

"From what my watch says, your time has run out. In a few moments, I'm going to release you." So, he's got a hold on Yusuke. But how? He's just standing there…. "Then, it'll be decision time. I want you to approach the person you think is the impostor and hit them as hard as you can."

"Are you insane?" Yusuke cries. Kid's got one hell of a punch. There's a decent chance he'll seriously hurt whoever the impostor is, even if he happens to guess right.

"Sorry, champ, but that's the only way to disarm Yana's power. He has to be hit so hard that it knocks him unconscious. And of course, if you choose wrong, I'll have your captive friend killed, so try to be smart, okay?"

These guys are advanced assholes. They're okay with Kaito losing his soul, killing, kidnapping, and having Yana hit so hard he loses consciousness. This is all so weird. There has to be a reason for this, a bigger picture I'm just not seeing. What are the stakes? What's in it for them? It's all too random, unless….

"What's your deal?" Yusuke asks. "What do you get out of doing all this to us?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask that," blondie says. "You've made a lot of friends and enemies, Yusuke." He pulls a remote out of his pocket, saying, "We're doing one of them a special favor."

 _Friends and enemies_. So, this is someone we know pulling the strings. I'm pretty sure we've solidly dealt with all our enemies. Who among our friends knows enough to do something like this?

"Now, make your pick." The guy lifts his foot, and Yusuke stumbles forward. He'd been stepping on my classmate's shadow; that must be his trick. "You only have thirty seconds to choose. Though, I could just order the hostage to be killed and save you the trouble."

"Shut up!" Yusuke powers up a punch, and I watch in awe as he slings it at Kuwabara, hitting him so hard he...changes into Yanagisawa and flies across the room, hitting the wall and sliding to the ground.

"Wow," blondie says. "You actually figured it out. How did you know that the impostor was Kuwabara?"

"I chose him because I know he's used to me pounding his face in, if nothing else. Besides, Hiei and Kurama are too smart and untrusting. They'd never just walk right into your trap," Yusuke says.

"Yes, or scream the word hot," Kurama mutters, making Hiei grunt.

"As for Asaki, she showed up late. That'd be too obvious."

"Mm," I mumble, nodding. Yusuke comes across pretty stupid, but really, he's got at least half a brain hidden under that slicked back hair.

"That still left me Botan. And if you dirtbags were low enough to take advantage of the only non-fighter, it wouldn't have mattered if I lost. Even if you killed me, I would come back from the dead and drop-kick your ass. So, Kuwabara was the safest bet."

"My hero!" Botan says, tears in her eyes. I find myself smiling as well. For as much crap as everyone gives him, Yusuke's actually a pretty good guy.

"I must say," blondie continues, "you're quite impressive."

"The game's over," Yusuke spits. "Now, cough up Kuwabara."

"And he'd better not be injured!" Botan adds as Yusuke takes a few steps toward the enemy. Sort of enemy. I think I've figured this out.

"Kuwabara's just fine," he says, "and I will return him in the very near future. But first off, I'd like to introduce to you the master of this plan." Holding up the remote in his hand, he pushes a button, and double doors open revealing, much to nearly everyone's surprise, Genkai.

"I can't believe it…." Yusuke says. "Why would you do something like this?" She just smiles, making Yusuke yell, "Tell me, you crazy old hag!"

At his words, blondie drops his remote, getting down on the ground to _dogeza_ , something that kind of makes me uncomfortable. That level of submission...why?

"I'm sorry!" he says. "Forgive me. I failed you, Master."

"Cool it with the theatrics, all right, Kido?" Genkai says, and I find, despite all this crap she's just put us through, that I've really missed the sound of her voice. "If we're being honest here, I was counting on you screwing it up."

"You never cease to surprise me, Genkai," Kurama says, smiling. "I thought you might be behind this little ruse."

"This doesn't make any sense!" Yusuke says, grabbing the sides of his head in confusion. "Why don't you explain it, fox boy, 'cuz I'm obviously going nuts."

"She was trying to teach us a very valuable lesson. A lesson about perception." Kudos to anyone who thinks they can teach this batch of idiots a lesson.

"Yes, and it's a lesson you must learn very well. I guarantee this won't be the last time you come into contact with individuals who possess the power of territory," Genkai adds.

"Kurama, when did you realize it was Genkai?" Botan asks.

"When we had reached the top of the stairs. If they had truly used their resources, wanted it more, we most definitely would have been defeated."

"Oh, give me a break," Yusuke grunts.

"But there was an ulterior motive here, and I realized whoever orchestrated this was trying to tell us something about ourselves. That would require someone who knows us well and meant no harm."

What a strange way to reach that conclusion, especially for someone like Kurama. With more reason for distrust than the average person, he actually figured out that whoever was testing us really didn't want to hurt us.

"You still haven't given a reason," Hiei snaps. "You haven't sufficiently explained what you meant to achieve by rubbing their powers in our faces."

"The five of you are well-trained fighters. However, as four of you have found out, there will be instances where your physical strength will not be able to help you. So, you must depend on your mind," Genkai rebutts.

I wish I could argue against my own mishaps, but they're my own damn fault, just the same. No amount of excuses would save me in a real situation.

"If you had used that lump three feet above your ass, you might have held onto your soul," she says, making Hiei swallow hard, chagrin on his face. "Make that two feet for you," she tells him.

"Are you for real?" Yusuke asks. "You actually let those jerks steal your soul? Show some skill."

"Oh, and what about you, dimwit?" Genkai snaps.

"Oh, come on," Yusuke replies, trying to wave her off. "I wouldn't have been caught if I'd known about that shadow thing."

"Are you foolish enough to think that one of your enemies is just going to hand over that information? If an enemy captures you, you're as good as dead. If you remember anything, remember that."

"Time out, Grandma," Yusuke says. "You keep saying enemy, but these scrubs aren't actually bad, right? So, who the hell are they?"

"Go ahead," Genkai replies. "Inform them, Kido."

Blondie, er, Kido, looks up, saying, "Kaito, Yana and I, we all went to her compound for advice when we developed our powers. That's where we learned about you, Yusuke. And your team. The truth of it is, we've only had these new abilities for about a month, same as all the other new psychics."

"New psychics?" Botan asks.

"The cause of which is our greatest threat," Genkai replies.

"You're making me nervous," Yusuke says, leaning toward her a little.

"I assume some of you have already noticed the demon insects flying through the city."

Well, damn me again. I never wanted to see another demon insect for as long as I lived, but that didn't mean I should ignore the ones that are around. I honestly haven't seen any.

"Ah!" Kurama gasps. "You don't mean-"

"Someone is carving out a tunnel to the Demon World. Sakyo's plan from the Dark Tournament was not buried with him."

"What Sakyo plan?" Yusuke asks. My thoughts exactly. I knew the man was devious and crazy, but to want to create a tunnel between worlds?

"Yeah, Genkai just filled me in." Kuwabara comes toward us from beyond the open double doors, saying, "Apparently, Koenma found out and never told us. Sakyo wanted money so he could drill some doomsday tunnel."

"But, more importantly," Yusuke says, "we've answered the question, boxers or briefs." Poor Kuwabara is standing there in his bright red underwear.

"Would you be serious for a second?" Kuwabara snaps. "It's not my fault that idiot stole my clothes." He walks over to Yana, presumably to disrobe the other guy.

"But how could this be?" Botan asks. "I thought Sakyo died when he blew up the stadium?"

"He's dead, we're sure of that. And now, he's rolling in his grave because someone's continuing his plan without him," Genkai grumbles.

"It just keeps going, doesn't it?" Yusuke asks. "I mean, a tunnel? How?"

"There is a border zone dividing our world and theirs," Genkai says. "Somehow, a giant breach is opening in that zone."

"It is known as the pseudo-space," Kurama adds, "Tiny portals have been known to open there from time to time, allowing demons such as Hiei and myself to slip through."

"Same," I reply. "That's actually how my father manages his business too, sending weak messengers between worlds."

Hiei grunts, shaking his head. "It's not so easy, Old Hag," he says to Genkai. "If there were a way out of this world, I would have taken it." I'm pretty sure he's still under Spirit World probation….

"Getting you to believe me would be a pain in the ass. I'll let you see it yourself. It's in Mushiyori City."

"What? That close?" Yusuke shouts. "That's like a Sunday afternoon drive from here."

It makes sense, though. Aberrations in the barrier put up to keep demons out causing new psychics to appear specifically around Mushiyori? Of course that's where this tunnel would be.

A ringing noise interrupts us, and Botan says, "Oh, that must be Koenma." She lowers her suitcase to the ground, flipping it open to reveal a screen upon which the little guy's face appears.

"Botan!" he cries. "Is Yusuke with you? It's an emergency!"

"We're all here, Koenma," Genkai says. "Want to tell us about the border tunnel?" Everyone situates so they can see Koenma, but I take a seat behind them all, closing my eyes and listening. This day refuses to end.

"You're slow on the uptake this time," Genkai tells him. "It seems whoever's done this is using the typical lull after a tournament to catch even you off-guard. In the last month, over thirty humans have come to me for help, suddenly finding themselves to have an assortment of supernatural powers. The traits are different, but they all have one thing in common: they come from Mushiyori City."

I must have dozed off because the next thing I hear is Kuwabara yelling, "Will someone please explain this to me?" I rub my eyes, realizing I'd been leaning against someone's legs. Looking up, I see Kurama's back, and I blush, getting to my feet while Yusuke fills Kuwabara in.

It's nothing really new to me, just information about the Kekkai and the kinds of demons it holds back. I can't seem to find it in me to be too freaked out about this tunnel. I'm well-aware it's bad news, but I've met a few S class demons before. They weren't all bad. Then again, the situations were very different…. If a vicious S class demon decided he wanted to come here, it could very well mean the end for humanity.

"Get over it!" Genkai snaps at Kuwabara. I don't know what he said, but she looks irritated. "We'll talk about our plan in a minute, but I need to rescue Kaito first." Part of me wants to ask if she really has to, but if he's not really our enemy, I guess I should at least try to be nice.

Genkai wakes him up, and we get some proper introductions: Yuu Kaito, with the power of taboo, Asato Kido with the power of shadows, and Mitsunari Yanagisawa with the power of copy.

Botan's suitcase goes off again, and Koenma's back. "We've just finished calculating the growth rate on the tunnel. It's bad. It will reach stage four in three weeks."

"Only three weeks?!" Yusuke shouts. I missed most of their previous conversation, but I think it's safe to assume stage four means game over Living World. "There's gotta be something we can do! Can't you like, close the hole back up?"

"The only way is to stop the tunnel's creator. Once this tunnel hits 2 kilometers wide, it stops being just an energy conduit and turns into physical space. There's a psychic nested at the center point."

"So, you know where the guy is, and if he's beat down, we're all okay? Then I guess all I have to do is turn his brain into mush."

"Not so fast, Yusuke," Genkai snaps, but he ignores her.

"You guys know the city, right?" he says to the Mushiyori trio. "Can you take me there?" Genkai proceeds to use her psychic energy to lift and flip Yusuke, making him fall on his head. "Dammit!" Yusuke shouts as he sits up, rubbing his head. "What is this, be bitchy day?"

"Here's a brilliant concept! Try learning from your mistakes." That's a novel idea. "What I wouldn't give for a successor with a brain. Do you know how much trouble I went through, planning this ordeal? The whole point of tonight was to teach you one thing: you cannot go into this without understanding your enemy's powers."

"And you've gone deaf again!" Yusuke spits. "Koenma said we don't have time!"

"If the tunnel completes, we're doomed!" Kuwabara cries.

"That still gives us three weeks and three questions to answer: how many fighters in their group, who's their leader, and what's the true nature of their powers? Without those answers, attacking would be suicide." Genkai's words ring true, and I find myself wishing I'd stayed asleep.

"Koenma, if these fools are done, I'd like to ask my own question," Hiei says. "In what class do you rank me?"

"Hiei." Kurama's voice sounds chiding, which we both know Hiei doesn't like.

"What?" he snaps. "It's a fair question. If Spirit World lackeys are going to place a letter on me, I deserve to know."

"Oh, very well, Hiei," Koenma sighs. "As I told you, Toguro was upper B, and as of the end of the Dark Tournament, you were ranked in the middle of B class."

Hiei doesn't like that one bit, but I think that's an incredibly respectable place to be. What really rubs him the wrong way, I'd wager, is the fact that, if Yusuke could beat Toguro, that made Hiei, by the numbers at least, weaker.

"Underestimate me, even now?" Hiei snarls.

"For the record, when you fought Yusuke, you only had an upper D class ranking. In less than a year, you've jumped up nearly two full classes. Quite an astounding feat, to be sure."

"You're a child. Don't father me." He turns to leave, walking toward the door. Nothing will ever be good enough for that guy.

"Come on, Hiei," Yusuke says.

"You already have your fox, your clown, your fire, and your hag. I'm a moot point."

"You're just going to walk away?" Kuwabara shouts.

"This is your world to look after, not mine," Hiei replies. "I don't intend to hinder your cause, but I won't help it either."

"Coward," Kuwabara spits. "Real men help when they're needed."

"Save that idealism for your fairy tales." With that, he leaves.

"Well, I won't shed any tears for him," Kuwabara says. "He's the same selfish punk he was from the start."

"He's the same all right," Yusuke says, smiling a little. "He'll come and rescue us at the end when we need him most."

"It's hard to predict what he'll do," Kurama butts in. "Humanity's destruction was Hiei's former dream. These new developments leave him much to consider."

Koenma signs off, leaving us to make our own plans. The three from Mushiyori agree to help us, and Genkai tells us the immediate game plan is to get some sleep. Apparently, we're going to try to stick together as much as possible between now and the date of the tunnel opening so we can stay in contact. Once the people responsible know we're looking for them, they might try to pick us off.

Everyone goes to settle in for the night, but Genkai says, "Asaki, we need to talk."

"Sure thing," I reply.

"In private." That's when I notice her eyeing Kurama. He's talking to Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kaito, for all appearances not paying us a lick of attention. I wonder why she'd shoot him a weird look.

Genkai and I walk through a door that leads to a balcony overlooking a grassy backyard. I'd half been expecting the yard to look as weird as the house, but it's just like any other with a fence all around it. I look up at the sky, wondering when I stopped looking for courage among the stars. I really don't have to anymore. Looking around at my friends, I see it every single day. That's all I need to give myself strength.

"I talked to Kaito," Genkai starts, no preface whatsoever. "He told me that during his game, you sneezed and lost your human soul, but you remained aware in demon form." I nod, not sure if she wants me to speak or not. My interactions with her have been incredibly limited and never under ideal circumstances.

"I'm sure you'd like to know why." She looks at me, and I know she wants a response this time.

"Do you know?" I ask.

She nods. "Have you ever heard of Twin Souls?"

"Vaguely," I reply. "Some people have more than one soul inside them, right?"

"That's the gist, although it's never normal humans." Genkai sighs, crossing her arms behind her back. "It typically exists in half-demons and only those with exceptionally strong human halves."

"My human half is nothing special," I tell her. "Just a normal person."

"A normal person with extraordinary healing powers. Those don't come from your demon half, moron," Genkai growls. "Your mother was a _very_ powerful shrine maiden."

"How do you know?" I ask, frowning.

"Because I do my homework," Genkai replies. "Have you ever even thought to look her up before?"

"No…." I tug on the end of my braid. "Father didn't keep anything about her around, and it didn't occur to me once I left home."

Genkai shook her head, sighing. "Regardless, your mother was one of the leading exorcists of her time. She was a renowned priestess, famous in this area for her healing powers. When she married your father, her whole family disowned her. He became all she had."

"And yet, they wouldn't let him bury her where he wanted," I reply, shaking my head. I can't believe it. My mother was a powerful human. How amazing.

"When you were born, your mother gave most of her spiritual strength to you. That's the only reason you've survived so long."

"That explains a lot," I mumble. While I wasn't always glad to be alive, I find I can be grateful now, at least.

"Your human form has an incredible amount of potential, if trained right. When this is all over, I want you to come see me at my temple. I want to train both halves of you."

"I would be honored," I say, bowing to her.

"Don't get too excited. The only reason I'm doing this is because one day, you might not have a choice about which half you can inhabit. I just want both sides of you to be prepared."

"Prepared? What do you mean, I might not have a choice?"

"One body is not meant to house two souls," Genkai said. "I'll admit, there's a chance you'll be able to keep them both. However, there's also a chance they will tear you apart if you don't let one go."

"How will I know?" I ask, suddenly frightened.

"That I can't tell you," Genkai replies. "It hasn't happened yet, so it may still be far off. For your sake, I hope it never happens." Genkai puts her hand on my shoulder. "It might be best not to tell anyone else this. You know how they'll worry."

"Right," I say. "It's them worrying that I ought to worry about."

"You're pretty tough," Genkai replies. "I wouldn't have told you if I didn't think you could handle it. Now, try to get some sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," I mumble, nodding to her before I step back inside the house. Everyone has settled down to sleep, Kuwabara and Yusuke already snoring on each other. The three from Mushiyori are curled up on the floor as well. I see Botan sitting off to one side, her eyes closed, and I wonder if she's asleep as well. Sighing, I head toward her, sliding down the wall and resting my head against it.

I must have been more tired than I'd realized because I drift off immediately.

* * *

A/N: Yaaaay, plot! I like making things as difficult for myself as humanly possible, but thankfully, Asaki's a dope, so that saves me from a lot of trouble. Not as much as it gets me in, maybe? That probably made no sense!

Kurama's pretty quiet this chapter, as far as his interactions with Asaki are concerned, so you just have to imagine how messed up he is over this whole thing. Next chapter kind of gives a glimpse into his thoughts on this whole thing, so stick around.  
Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to YukinaBlueRose and bluerose921 for the reviews! ^_^


	46. Divide and Conquer

I wake with tears in my eyes, my hands pressed over my mouth to suppress a scream. Sweat slides down my face, and I get to my feet, dashing outside and leaning over the railing, taking slow, deep breaths. I'd dreamt that my soul had torn me apart, the two halves laughing at me before they both disappeared, leaving me in limbo, wandering soulless forever.

My hands grip the railing tightly, and I have to focus all of my energy on not burning. _Breathe. Just breathe, stupid._ Looking up at the stars, I sigh, looking for my favorite constellations when I hear familiar footsteps.

"Can't sleep?" Kurama asks, coming to stand beside me. I shrug, not trusting myself to speak. "Do you want to talk about it?" I swallow hard, shaking my head, and we sit in silence for a little bit until I've calmed down.

"Just a bad dream," I say at last, my voice sounding small.

"I could tell," he replies. I give him a curious look, and he smiles, looking a little chagrined. "If your trembling hadn't given your fear away, your smell would have."

"My smell?"

He taps his nose. "A little gift from my spirit fox days, but I can smell certain hormones. It's nothing specific, but I know that you're upset."

"That's disconcerting," I say, shaking my head. "I'm fine, though. It just feels like…." I dig my hand into the base of my braid, yanking hard. "Every time I make any progress with myself, something new happens that makes everything difficult again."

"I don't suppose this has to do with your Twin Souls?"

I'm not good at lying, and so I don't even try to hide the surprise on my face. "How did you know?"

"I've been thinking about it since Kaito's challenge, and I assumed you must be too."

I sigh. "Genkai told me some things about it and then asked me not to tell anyone. Not that I want to." Moving my hands from the railing, I wrap my arms around myself, trying to hold myself together.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Kurama says.

"It's fine," I reply. "This can wait. Our focus has to be on stopping this whole tunnel mess."

"It certainly is a mess," Kurama says. "We won't know exactly how bad until tomorrow when we set our plans into motion."

I nod. "This is going to be pretty dangerous, huh? We don't even know exactly who we're up against."

"No, and that worries me. I would keep you out of this whole thing if it were possible." I look at him, eyes wide in surprise. He sighs, saying, "I don't exactly enjoy seeing my friends get hurt, in case you thought otherwise."

"No sweat," I reply, smiling. "I have stupid healing, and I can't feel pain, so you don't have to worry about me."

He gives me a mild smile, saying, "And as long as both of those things are true, there's no reason to keep you from it, despite my own misgivings. This will be incredibly dangerous."

"All the more reason to have another capable set of hands," I tell him.

He nods, and silence falls between us, making me wonder what's on his mind. After a few moments, he says, "Well, I think you should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Right," I say, casting one last look up at the stars before turning and going back inside. Kurama follows me, and I bid him goodnight before heading back over to a now-drooling Botan. "Dork," I mutter affectionately as I sit beside her, closing my eyes and letting sleep take me again.

...

Morning finds me rubbing sleep from my eyes as Genkai assigns us to teams. Kurama, Kuwabara, Botan, and Kaito are in one group while Yusuke, Kido, Yana, and I are on the other. "Team Half a Brain," she grunts, pointing to Kurama's group, "and Team No Brain," as she points to ours.

"Ha!" Kuwabara laughs. "Take that, Urameshi!"

"Hold on a second, Grandma," Yusuke says, frowning. "Shouldn't this red and that red switch." He points from me to Kuwabara. "I'm pretty sure Kuwabara has about as much brain power as a chopstick."

"Why you-"

"These are the teams. If you have a problem with it, shove it up your ass," Genkai snaps. "Team Half a Brain is going to scout out the area where the psychic making the barrier is. Team No Brain is going to Mushiyori City to get a feel for the situation and gather any information we can. I'll be joining you."

"Whatever," Yusuke grunts, making his way out of the room and down the stairs.

"I don't suppose breakfast is an option," Botan says, pouting a little.

"Not unless you grab something on your way," Genkai replies. "Be careful out there. Report back on what you find out." She heads after Yusuke, leaving me sighing. This is going to be an exercise in patience, I think.

"Good luck," I tell everyone before following the others. Yana and Kido aren't far behind me.

When we step outside, Genkai points to the two who're actually from Mushiyori. "Lead the way, kids. The less time we spend split up, the better. I'd rather be a large target where we can support each other than two small targets if something bad happens."

"Yes, Master," Kido and Yana reply in tandem, bowing slightly. They lead the way to a nearby station, and in no time, we're in Mushiyori. It's...really bad. In my demon form, I can see every disgusting demon insect swarming, covering every surface. I grit my teeth, my skin burning as I remember my last encounter with them.

Yusuke and Kido exchange some casual banter about this city, but I can't shake the crawling feeling of bugs everywhere. At least, not until we all stop, that same sinking feeling from yesterday hitting my stomach. That could only mean one thing.

"You sense that?" Genkai asks.

"Yeah," Yusuke replies. "Lemme guess, we just walked into someone's territory?"

"That same feeling," Kido says. "Must be from someone who developed a power just like us."

"I hope they're nice," Yana adds. If I didn't feel so uneasy, I might have laughed.

We follow Genkai and Yusuke, and all I can think is that they must sense something I can't as they both head in the same direction. All I can really feel right now are these stupid insects.

"Well, gentlemen," Yusuke says, "these stairs look happy enough." Staring at the alleyway stairs, I wonder that he still has the energy to joke. But, I guess that's just how he handles things like this.

"Do you remember your lesson, Yusuke?" Genkai asks.

"Don't worry," he replies. "I won't screw up." I find that hard to believe, but we follow him down anyway. At the end of the stairs is a little bar with seating at the bar itself and a few booths. There are six people here total, including the staff. Who, though, is the one manifesting the territory?

Quiet laughter draws our attention, as a man with his back to us says, "If you guys want something from me, just ask." He gets to his feet, facing us, a cocky smile on his face. "You must be some more power freaks."

"H-hey, no trouble here, all right?" the barkeep stammers. "I've got mouths to feed."

"Easy, old man," the guy says. "I don't want trouble either." The way he's looking at us makes that hard to believe. "And yes, I know you don't have insurance on this place." What a weird thing to say.

"We're looking for the tunnel-digging type," Yusuke says, keeping his voice surprisingly level for him. "So, you gonna help us out or not?"

"Tunnel?" he asks. "You must mean the one to Demon World."

"How'd you know?" Kido grunts, surprised.

"Don't look so accusing," is the reply. "You're the one who told me. It's been running through your mind."

"Mind reading?" I mumble, frowning. What a convenient power, if that's really what's going on here.

"Let's not jump the gun yet," Yusuke whispers.

 _That's unusual for him. Way to go, actually thinking for once._ Which is when I realize, the mind-reader probably heard that. I sigh. What do you do when you're worried someone will hear your thoughts? If I just think about worrying, will that make him go nuts?

"He might have known about the demons already, and he's just trying to play us," Yusuke adds. "He could be one of the real bad jerks we're looking for."

"If that's the case, he's got to be really confident to call us out like this, in a place with no escapes," I reply. "Be careful."

"Leave it up to me," Kido says, stepping forward. "I'll check him." Kido stops short of the other guy, and I can almost feel the tension in the air.

"You wanna get beaten up? Just come on over."

"I have to play it rough now. There's way too much at stake." Kido manifests his territory, leaping for the other man's shadow. The man steps back at the last second, and Kido lands on the ground, nothing under foot.

"Head's up!" Yusuke shouts, and Kido looks up in time to take the other man's fist to the face. He gets pummeled until the man launches a finishing blow that knocks him to the ground.

"Dammit," I grunt as Yana rushes over to Kido. "Was that really necessary?"

"You almost got me, kiddo," the man says, laughing. "My shadow was right there." He looks from Yana and Kido to where Yusuke, Genkai, and I are standing, a smile on his face as he raises his fists. "So, anyone else game? I could use the practice for my future." He babbles on about wanting to be a boxer, but I only half listen, sending out some healing energy for Kido. He stiffens, so I know he can feel it. I'm sure he's wondering where it's coming from. Maybe I ought to tell them what I am so I don't scare anyone later. Then again, maybe not. After last night, I only feel so generous, even after knowing their purpose.

"That actually helped," Genkai grunts. "We know he's a real mind reader."

"Kudos for Kido, but we still don't know what side he's on," Yusuke replies, walking toward the mind-reader. "That guy," he says, "with the seriously weird hair day? He's got a power called Copy. Let him touch your skull and he can mimic everything, including your memories. Kind of like running a credit check on you. If it turns out you're okay, we'll let you fight with us to save the world."

"Let him copy my brain, huh?" the man asks.

"It's the only way to check."

"Sorry, cowboy. I don't have any heroic aspirations."

 _He'd get his ass handed to him anyway._ I can tell just by looking that this guy is only suited for fighting other humans. He has the spiritual energy of a flea, despite his psychic powers.

The man grins as he starts bouncing back and forth, ready to fight. "I'm much more interested in starting my fighting career."

"I hear ya," Yusuke says, shrugging off his jacket. "Then how about I kick your ass first."

There's the Yusuke Urameshi I know and love.

"Come on," the man says. "Try what you want. You won't hit me."

"Look, I'll tell you what," Yusuke says. "The only way I'll hit you is with a straight right jab, but chances are, I'll stop short."

I frown, wondering what Yusuke's playing at. Somewhere along the way, I've grown to trust him more, so I have faith that he knows what he's doing, especially as far as combat goes. _Good luck, Yusuke_.

He moves fast, lunging forward, doing exactly as he said. A straight right jab, stopping just before it connects with the man's face. However, the force of the wind from his blow sends the other guy flying into the wall.

"W-what happened?" Kido gasps.

"I didn't see any contact," Yana says.

"That was thirty percent of his power," Genkai replies.

"Can't say I didn't warn the guy," Yusuke adds, hands on his hips. "Except for that whole shockwave thing."

Yana copies the guy, telling us he's clean. So, he's just a normal human psychic. At least, he's as normal as anyone could be who suddenly gained strange new powers. After a few good slaps, he wakes up, looking scared out of his mind.

"I-I'm sorry!" he shouts. "Don't hit me again!"

"Hey, easy," Yusuke replies. "We just want your help. We're trying to stop someone from killing everybody, and I think your mind-reading thing might be useful."

The guy turns three shades of green, and I sigh. "Nice going, Yusuke. You've scared him even more." I walk over, kneeling on the floor beside him, putting a hand on his arm. He flinches, but when he notices his pain subsiding, he stares at me, eyes wide.

"Are you a psychic too?" he asks.

"Not quite." Letting him go, I help him to his feet, saying, "My friends and I won't ask anything more of you than a little bit of your time and a little bit of your power. Will you help us?"

He regards me for a moment before looking back at the others. "I...I guess I can do that."

"Sweet," I say, smiling. "I'm Asaki." I introduce everyone, and he nods.

"Murota. Happy to help or something."

…

We go to a crowded place, perfectly in the public eye. If something weird happens, we'll know.

"So, how does it work, Murota?" Yusuke asks him. "In a crowd like this, who do you hear?"

"Every thought that's within thirty yards of me," he replies, making me shudder. That sounds...awful. "It all comes at once like it's one big conversation. It's painful sometimes."

"Tough luck," Yusuke grunts. "Don't be a baby about it. Now you've got some scouting to do." Typical, tactless Yusuke.

"Check everyone's thoughts," Genkai says. "Tell us if you hear something weird, but don't show it on your face and do not make eye contact with them. They'll sense they're in your territory just like we did."

"I'll...try." He stiffens a second later.

"Find one?" Genkai asks.

"That girl," he says, "she's going to make out with her teacher. We have to stop her! Or watch!"

Three solid blows to the head. One from me, one from Yusuke, and one from Genkai. I no longer feel bad for this jerk and his getting dragged along with us. Disgusting.

"We're trying to save humanity!" Yusuke shouts, grabbing Murota by his shirtfront.

"Hey," Murota says, "wait a sec. You really want to kill me."

"Did you have to read my mind to figure that one out?!" He lets him go, still glaring.

"And I might help him," Genkai says, crossing her arms.

"No, I'm sorry," Murota says, a chagrined smile turning quickly to a grimace.

"Your ass parks here until you find something," Yusuke snaps.

We sit in silence after that, Murota presumably listening for real this time. I start counting the passersby, wondering how Kurama and the others are doing. I hope they're having better luck.

Just as I think that, I feel a chill in the air. Looking over at Murota, I see he's sweating, agony on his face. "I found something," he groans. Putting his hands on the sides of his head, he cries out, looking more and more petrified by the second.

"Shut up, or they're going to find you!" Yusuke snaps.

"I-I'm sorry. I can't take it. The voice is too loud. But it's quiet too. Savage, and dark. Please, let me go!" he whines.

"Don't worry. I'll handle him." That's big talk considering we have no idea who or what we're up against. "Just tell us who he is."

"He's coming from the right. Tall guy. All in black. His hair's slicked back." We all look up at his words, and I catch a glimpse of the guy in question, my heart stuttering in my chest. He looks...really, he would look normal if not for the slightest look in his eyes, a look I know far too well. That's the look of someone who wants to inflict pain and doesn't care who the target is. He wants someone to suffer.

An instant later, Murota collapses, something small connecting with the center of his forehead. He's down, and everyone is freaking out.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Yana cries, but Yusuke is still looking at the man. I have to tear my eyes away. That look reminds me too much of Hide, only darker. This is a man who can actually act on those dark impulses. He can do real damage, and he's going to. Something in me just says it's so.

An ambulance shows up, and we pile in, heading fast to the nearest hospital.

"Think he'll make it?" Kido asks.

"I don't know," Yana replies. "Not many people survive a bullet to the brain."

"That's true, Yana," Genkai says, "but he'll be fine. This is the so-called bullet he took." She holds up a small, white rock between her fingers.

"Doesn't look like metal," Kido says.

"It's a pencil eraser," Genkai replies, and I frown, confused. The amount of force needed for something like that to do the damage it did is unfathomable for a normal human. Unless, of course, you aren't normal.

"That's crazy!" Yusuke gasps. "Score one for old Number 2."

"It's a warning," Genkai replies, making us all fall silent.

…

"Let's dig a hole, Sniper, each one of us. Seven graves will be a decent start."

Murota had been seen by a doctor, his head bandaged and left to rest in the lobby. Apparently, the wound had just bled a lot, due to it being a head wound, but there was no real, permanent damage.

"Black Angel, Gatekeeper, Sniper, Gourmet, Gamemaster, Doctor, and Seaman. Those are the words that came to his mind when he said the word seven," Murota tells us.

"But what does it mean?" Yusuke asks.

"Are those the names of the guys who're making this tunnel?" Yana adds. "I mean, there's seven of them!"

"Is that all?"

"I don't know," Murota grunts, sounding more and more unhinged by the moment. "That's just what I heard in the back of his mind, like a speech he was preparing. Everything else was just this terrible hatred and an urge to kill."

"Gourmet, Doctor, Gatekeeper...those have to be nicknames, right?" Kido asks.

"Well, of course. And more than likely, they are clues to each of their abilities. By the way, Yusuke," Genkai says, "you did well with that confrontation. You finally showed patience. You didn't start punching like a moron."

"Cuz I think I was afraid of him." I have to suppress a surprised huff at his words. Yusuke, afraid. That's not a good sign. Although, I was terrified too, but for a very different reason than Yusuke's.

"I sensed it right when we met. There's something...dangerous about him." He pauses, his words sinking in. "It's not what I sensed, though. It's what I didn't sense, like who I saw wasn't the real thing. If Toguro was all about throwing the fast ball, then this guy definitely likes the curve."

"Hm. Yes, and we know he's the type who saves that pitch for the very last inning. Whatever power is behind this mystery, he won't reveal it until he's ready to finish us. The fact that he didn't use his own power to attack Murota tells us that."

"What?" Murota gasps.

"Right. He didn't do anything at all," Yusuke says.

"So, then who's the shooter?" Yana asks.

"Sniper, I'd guess," I reply.

Genkai nods. "Let's examine what we do know." She holds the eraser out so we can all see it. "This power has faint demon trace marks. Apparently, he made it the exact hardness he desired by coating it with energy. Hard enough to break the skin and scare us but too soft to break the skull. It was launched by telekinesis. Seconds after the shot was fired, I tried to trace it back to its origins, but it was too far. It must have been fired from over 500 feet away. That's quite a feat."

"All with his mind?" Murota gasped, quivering in terror.

"If they're all as strong as this trigger man…."

"Yeah, I gotcha," Yusuke says. "We're all in for a world of hurt."

"I didn't sign up for this!" Murota shouts. "I don't want to be a hero! I don't want to die!"

"Listen, crybaby," Yusuke snaps, "we don't have time to freak out. They could be coming for us."

"But...how can I help you? I'm not used to this kind of thing. I'm scared. I don't know how to save the planet."

"Give us those names again," Yusuke says, crossing his arms.

"Uh, okay. There's Gamemaster, Black Angel, Gatekeeper, Seaman, Doctor, Sniper, and Gourmet."

"If Sniper's the one who shot Murota…." I frown.

"That leaves six more whose powers we can only guess about," Genkai says. "Seven enemies with extraordinary talents. And, aside from the man who approached us, we have no clue what they look like."

"I wish I had more to give you," Murota says. "All that's on this guy's mind is a huge urge to kill. He wants every human being dead."

"With this plan, he'll succeed," Genkai states.

"Hey, one of the guys is named Doctor, right?" I say over Murota's sudden blubbering. "And...we're in a hospit-"

Before I can even finish my sentence, that familiar chill trips down my spine. Someone's just opened their territory.

"Feel that?" Yana asks.

"I may just keep my mouth shut," I mumble. "It's not doing me any good today."

"That Doctor one! Of course he'd be here!" Murota cries. "He's coming to finish me off!"

"Make a circle facing outward," Yusuke commands. "We won't let anyone sneak up on us this time." We do as he says, even Murota getting to his feet, though I'm not sure that's the best idea.

The problem is, if it is Doctor, everyone here is a potential suspect.

Yana and Murota suddenly gasp, and we look at them to find...demon insects on their hands, injecting them with something. I immediately shudder, feeling a bit sick. Not again, dammit. I hate bugs.

Yana crushes his, but he and Murota both fall to the ground, their skin turning green.

"What the hell happened?" Yusuke asks.

"My whole body is aching," Yana groans.

Kido puts his hand to Murota's forehead. "He's burning up!" he gasps.

"What were those?" Yusuke says. "Why are they getting sick?"

"Those weren't the same parasites we saw in town!" Genkai snaps.

"It's a virus," Murota manages to grunt. "I heard his thoughts. He's going to infect everyone inside his territory."

"There's more coming! Kill as many as you can!" Genkai shouts as the insects fly toward us. Yusuke, Genkai, Kido, and I start swatting at them. I wish I could use my fire power, but it might get me some funny looks, or worse, thrown out. Can I even leave someone's territory like that? Just by walking out?

"Is something wrong?" a voice asks, and I look up in horror as a nurse walks our way, covered in insects. "Why are your friends on the ground?"

"They'll make a meal out of her!" Yusuke cries.

"Get them off of you!" Kido shouts at her.

She stops, frowning as she looks at herself. She can't see them. "This is a busy place, boys," she tells them. "I don't have time to play pretend."

"Ordinary people still can't see them," Yusuke says, "and these bugs seem to know we're the main course. Let's do something, dammit!"

"Our only hope to save them is to find the psychic who did it," Genkai replies. "Move out!"

I touch Murota and Yana on the heads before following after the others, sending a bit of healing energy to the guys and hoping they can hold on. This sucks, so much.

"You realize how many doctors are in here?" Kido asks.

"Okay, then we'll just have to knock 'em all out," Yusuke replies.

"Just don't hit too hard. I hate crippling civilians," Genkai says.

"Damn. That was my plan," I grunt.

"Kido, if you've got any doubts on your mind, this is the time to bail," Yusuke tells him. "It's life or death."

"Both those choices sound better than demons on my street. You don't have to worry about me."

"This doctor may not work here," Genkai says. "Maybe a nurse could spot an impostor."

"Clever," Yusuke adds.

"I'll take care of that, you guys," Kido pants.

"And I'll take the upstairs."

"If anybody finds him," Genkai says, "make a noise we'll all hear. Either scream or blow something up!"

Kido heads for the nurse's station, while Yusuke, Genkai, and I head to the next floor. Yusuke splits off here, I take the next one, and Genkai keeps going, presumably for the floor above. There's nothing here but bugs. Each room I check, all I can find are sick people, no doctors anywhere. Dammit.

I let my skin burn, using the fire to coat every surface. No one's here to question it, and I can feel each insect that gets caught in my inferno. I wish I was strong enough to send it throughout the entire building. Why am I so weak?

That's when I notice new energy enter the building. It feels...familiar. There's no way it could be…. I pull my fire in close, dashing back the way I came, racing for the lobby. I really hope I'm wrong about this, but I know those two girls are too involved for their own good.

I step into the lobby, and my fire goes out as I stare in shock at Keiko and Shizuru heading my way. That's all it takes. That one second where I lose control of my fire. I feel a prick on my hand, and when I look down, one of those damn insects has hit me with its poison. Not again!

My skin starts to turn a greyish green, but I hide the hand, shouting, "What are you doing here?!"

"Asaki!" Shizuru grunts. "Run!" She's got Keiko by the hand, Puu flying right behind them as they dash past me, further into the hospital. I kick up my flames torching the insects in the immediate vicinity before following them, my body burning, but not from my own fire. It's the sickness, creeping into me. The more I move, the faster it spreads.

Shizuru stops in front of us, and I can hear her saying, "Wouldn't you know it. Keiko, get us an elevator."

"Huh? Okay." Keiko jabs the up arrow on the elevator as the world starts spinning before me. If I didn't know better, I'd say everything hurts.

The moment the doors are open, I push Keiko in, grabbing Shizuru as well. I mash the button to close the doors, using my fire to keep the bugs out. Once the doors close, I suck it back in as my legs give out.

"Shit."

I can think of better things than being stuck in a tiny elevator, sick with whatever the hell bug Doctor's got the insects delivering, with two non-combatants that I would rather die than let anything bad happen to. It's just not my day.

"This is awful," Keiko mumbles. "I hope Yusuke's all right."

"Kid, don't you ever think about yourself?" Shizuru asks.

Suddenly, Keiko falls to the ground as well, her skin turning green.

"Oh no!" Shizuru cries.

"I-I'm cold," Keiko says, hugging her knees.

"Me too," I mumble, scooting over to her. I summon just the tiniest amount of fire, using it to warm us both. "Just have faith in Yusuke and the others. They'll get us out of this mess."

"What's going on, Asaki?" Shizuru says, shrugging off her jacket and putting it over Keiko's shoulders.

What do I tell them that freaks them out the least? I sigh. My brain is a mess, and it's hard to breathe. "We're fighting again," I pant, feeling weak. "There's a man here who's using those insects to spread a virus. The only way the sickness will stop is if we stop the man. Yusuke and Genkai should be looking for him."

The elevator doors open, and I shoot a pillar of fire, incinerating every insect outside before the doors close again.

"What are you guys doing here?" I grunt as Puu lands on my head.

"Keiko got worried because Puu was acting weird. He led us here." Shizuru sighs, digging a hand into her hair, clearly frustrated.

"Nice going, Puu." He makes a chagrined sound, and I tug on one of his ears. "It's okay, little guy." My voice breaks halfway through, that burning having found its way to my throat.

"Does that mean...Yusuke is fighting?" Keiko murmurs, her whole body shaking.

"Yeah. You know how he is. He'd pick a fight with a doorstop if he thought it would hit back." She laughs a little, giving me a weak smile. Damn, this girl is tough.

The elevator door opens again, and I'm prepared to shoot more fire when I see someone standing on the other side of the door. It's Genkai!

"Shizuru?" she says, eyes wide.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Shizuru said. "Genkai, Keiko and Asaki are sick. I think they're in real trouble."

Genkai nods, pushing Shizuru so she can get inside the elevator as well, letting out a blast of spirit energy as the door closes once more. "We're all in real trouble," she says, looking down at me.

"There must be some place those bugs haven't gotten to," Shizuru says.

"Yes. In here, for now."

"We're trapped?" Shizuru gasps.

"At the moment." She sighs, saying, "Asaki, I thought I wouldn't have to worry about you."

"S-sorry," I stammer. "I found Shizuru and Keiko, and I let my guard down for a second."

"I wouldn't have had you come with if I'd thought you were just going to be dead weight."

I stare at her, dumbfounded. "Dead…."

"She's been helping us, Genkai," Shizuru tells the old woman.

"What would have been really helpful is if she had even an ounce of control over her emotions. Right now, she's just a hindrance. She's being a waste of space."

"N-no," Keiko whimpers.

Genkai looks from Keiko to me, sighing. "I'm sorry. Look, just make sure nothing happens to these girls, okay?" she asks me.

I find myself nodding, even though I'm still shocked. Is that what Genkai really thinks of me? A hindrance? Dead weight? I'm a waste of space….

"Tell me you have a plan for us," Shizuru says.

"I'm leaving you here," is Genkai's reply. "I'm concerned about Yusuke and Kido. You should be safe. I don't think the bugs can get in the elevator while it's shut. Just don't take any pleasure strolls."

"But they look bad," Shizuru says.

"Don't worry. They'll recover fully once I get my hands on that doctor." The elevator stops, the door opens, and she dashes out, saying, "You'd better shut the door."

"Wait, Genkai!" But she's already gone. "What a mess," Shizuru says, kneeling down beside Keiko and me.

"Y-Yusuke," Keiko moans.

"I'm telling you, girl. Yusuke's going to be fine!" Shizuru says, putting an arm around Keiko. I stagger to my feet, standing in front of the door, an arm outstretched. "Asaki?" Shizuru asks. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," I mumble. "I'm sorry I didn't keep you guys safe."

"It's fine," she replies. "You need to sit down, rest a little."

"I can't. I have to...to protect you." The world is spinning, and everything feels wrong. I might be sick, but it's not just from the illness. Genkai's words are racing through my brain, over and over. I'd thought...I'd thought that I'd changed. I'd thought I'd made myself useful, but instead, I'm just causing more problems. Why…? Why do I even bother?

"Do you hear that?" Shizuru is by my side, listening. I close my eyes and do the same. I hear the faint buzzing sound of insects. "They're trying to get in."

"Mm." This space is too small for me to use my fire to fight them off.

"Next stop, we've got to get out," Shizuru says, and I nod.

"Shizuru, go," Keiko says. "Save yourself."

"Shut up," Shizuru replies as the first wave of insects butts in. She swats them with her jacket, and I punch a few, but my vision is getting blurrier and blurrier, making it hard to see what I'm hitting.

"I'm already stung," Keiko grunts. "It makes no sense to try and protect me now."

"Maybe so, kid, but I'm too stubborn to admit that I'm wrong now." Shizuru grabs Keiko as the elevator doors open, both of them dashing out into the lobby. I send a blast of fire into the elevator car before stumbling out, landing on the ground, my whole body screaming.

"Kurama?" Shizuru gasps, and I look around, surprised to see him standing over us, looking shocked as well.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

* * *

 **A/N: Buzz buzz. Asaki is going to just be terrified of bugs after all of this, I swear. Not that I blame her. I hate insects of most varieties too.**

 **I want to thank everyone for sticking with me and my sporadic update schedule. This is some of my least favorite part of the show, so it's been rough to keep up and keep interest. Special thanks to YukinaBlueRose, Goober92, Ash, and Lestatsgirl15 for the reviews. Also, a super massive shout out to JaxtheJackal and Silverwing013. You guys know why, and I'm forever grateful to you both!**

 **See everyone in the next chapter!**


	47. Copy Me

I sit back on my heels, my hands pressed into the floor as I take slow, steadying breaths. _Kurama's here. Thank goodness._

"What's going on?" Kurama asks, kneeling in front of me, pressing his hand to my forehead. "You're burning up."

"The insects carry a sickness," I mumble. "Yusuke...Yusuke's fighting."

"Who?"

"Some guy called Doctor."

"They both got bitten," Shizuru says. "Genkai said once Yusuke takes out this Doctor guy, they'll go back to normal, but they look really bad."

Kurama nods, standing. "Don't worry, I won't let the insects get any closer. I'll protect you."

 _That's my job_ , is what I want to say, but I feel so sick. My strength is waning by the second. Too much longer, and I don't know what will happen.

I lay down on the ground, breathing shallow, ragged breaths for a while, my world a fuzzy mess. All I can think of is how, every moment I seem to be proving Genkai more and more right. I am dead weight.

 _A waste of space._

Suddenly, a sound like gunshot echoes through the entire building. It only takes a matter of seconds, but I feel my skin cool, my strength returning to me.

"Yusuke did it," Shizuru says, sounding thoroughly relieved.

"He always does," Kurama replies. He extends a hand to me, a smile on his face. I take it, getting to my feet and immediately dropping his hand. His expression falls when I look away, tracing Yusuke's energy.

"Wait up!" Keiko says as I start to walk toward the stairs. I hear everyone behind me, but I don't stop, don't slow down. _A waste of space_.

At the first floor at last, we turn down a hallway to find everyone gathered. Yusuke, Genkai, Botan, Kuwabara, and Kaito are standing, but Murota and Yana are on the ground, looking pretty rough. I don't see Kido anywhere.

"Well, this is quite the reunion," Kurama says as Puu makes his way to Yusuke.

"Oh, hey, sis, why are you here?" Kuwabara asks. "You sick?"

"Yeah, bro. Sick of tracking you down. What trouble are you in?" Shizuru rebutts.

Keiko pops her head up from behind Shizuru, and Yusuke gasps. "K-keiko?" He looks at Puu, his eyes narrowing. "Dammit, Puu, you're like their get-in-danger tour guide."

"Don't you dare blame him, Yusuke. We only came because we were worried about you," Keiko snaps.

The whir of sirens follows, and Genkai sighs. "We'd better move it. This is a crime scene we don't wanna be part of."

"I'll stay here and make sure Kido gets good treatment," Kaito says.

"Yeah," Yusuke replies. "I just hope he can walk again." He leads the way out of the hospital, and we all follow, running until we can't hear sirens anymore.

…

It's a long trip home, made worse by the fact that Kurama chooses to accompany me the entire way. Before we all split, Genkai tells us to meet at Yusuke's tomorrow after school so we can reassess the situation and talk about everything we've learned. After mumbled agreements, everyone goes home. Mostly.

Kurama and I walk in silence, and I spend the entire time wishing he would just leave but not having the courage to ask him to do so. I just want to be alone right now. I feel so awful, like a single gust of wind could break me. Or one more unkind word.

When we get to my front door, I stop, staring at the doorknob so I don't have to face Kurama.

"Asaki, what is it?"

I shake my head, reaching in my pocket for my house keys. When I unlock the door and go to turn the knob, his hand covers mine, making me jump back, looking up at him in surprise.

"Please, tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing," I mumble. "I'm fine."

"You've been out of sorts since the hospital. Did something happen?"

"Mm-mm. Really, I'm okay." I pull the door open, staring at the darkness inside.

"Asaki-"

"I said I'm fine!" I snap, glaring up at him, fire tripping down my arms. Tears prick at my eyes as I realize I've just shouted at him for no good reason. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "Please, just...leave me."

He lets out a sigh before he turns and does exactly as I ask, leaving me alone in the dark. When I can't hear his footsteps anymore, I head into my house, not turning on any lights, just going straight to bed.

Apparently, it's just my natural instinct to do everything I can to push everyone away from me. If I get any stupider, it might kill me.

 _A waste of space._ I can count on one hand the people who've said that to me, but every single one of them was someone I should have been able to trust. My father. My fiance. A new friend. Is it possible they're all wrong? From the first two, I could believe it. But, from Genkai?

I lay in bed for hours before eventually falling asleep, maybe an hour or two before I have to get up for school. Either way, I wake once more, exhausted, and contemplating just skipping. The only thing that gets me out the door is the thought that if I miss any more school, I probably won't graduate. That would round off these awful past few days. At least it's Friday. Maybe tomorrow I can rest a little.

The school day passes by in a blur, something I can be grateful for. As I approach the front gate, I spy Yusuke and Kuwabara, fighting about something again, Botan watching and looking exasperated. They both go their separate ways, and I hear Botan say, "And so ends the human race."

"Dare I ask?" I say as I stop beside her.

"Oh, just typical Kuwabara and Yusuke things. Kuwabara's going to some silly concert tonight, and Yusuke's mad at him for not coming to the briefing."

"Awesome," I reply. "This was what we needed to make this week better."

"Agreed. Well, come on. At least we'll be on time."

"Mm." I follow after her, letting her lead the way. She chatters the entire time, something I would normally join in with, but I just feel so dead. Taking slow, deep breaths, I try to get my mind to focus on other things. The only way to get over this is to prove her wrong. I'm not a waste of space. I refuse to be dead weight. Everything will be all right.

I hear a quick footstep, and something tugs on my braid, drawing me to a stop. Before I can turn, I blink in surprise at the knife held to my neck. A voice hisses in my ear, "Don't say a word or I'll kill your friend." Freezing up on the spot, I sigh. Could this day get any worse? A jolt like lightning passes through me, and my world goes dark.

…

When I wake again, I'm on the ground, my arms and legs bound. There's something crusty on my face, and I blink as liquid nearly drips into my eye. I smell blood.

"Oh, good, you're finally among the living again." It's that same voice as before, and when I open my eyes again, I see it's a girl who looks to be fifteen or sixteen, wearing a nearby school's uniform, a smirk on her face.

I move to sit up, but I wince, a weird feeling tripping through me. It almost feels like...pain. Instead, I roll onto my side, trying to assess what damage has been done to me. A head injury, and it feels like I might have sustained blows to my side. I reach for my fire to burn whatever's binding me, but...it doesn't come. I can feel it inside, but it refuses to listen to me. What the hell?

"Asaki Anno, age 15, student at Sarayashiki Junior High," the girl says, walking over to me. Her black hair falls in her eyes, and she agitatedly pushes it away. "Friends with two of the biggest punks at that stupid school, and an unwanted hanger-on of Shuichi Minamino."

"Who are you?" I ask, ignoring the jabs. I can't afford to antagonize her when I don't have access to my demon or spirit energy. It appears that I can't shift into human form either, although I don't think that would be a good fit for this situation anyhow.

"Your rival!" she shouts, her voice echoing in the empty space we're in. "Sana Fujii, at your service! But, you'll refer to me as the one and only Mimic!"

The name wasn't familiar, but...Mimic. "What do you want from me, Mimic?" That isn't one of the names of the people working to open the portal to Demon World, so maybe I'm just dealing with a regular crazy human.

She suddenly kicks me squarely in the face, and I grunt, feeling a cracking sound. I think that might have been my nose. "Don't use that tone with me. You ought to speak to your rival with more respect."

"Maybe I would if I knew what you were my rival about," I retort as blood drips into my mouth. I spit it out, shuddering.

"Isn't it obvious?" she replies, shaking her head. "Poor, poor Asaki. I'm your love rival!"

"Love rival?" That is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

"Come on now," she says. "I was expecting a better reaction than that. This is, like, the big villain reveal!"

"I'm not really familiar with villains," I grunt. "Is this how they usually work?"

"Ugh." She looks thoroughly disappointed in me, but I can't bring myself to care. I'm too busy focusing on how to get myself out of this situation. "You're really not embodying the right spirit here. Maybe I need to explain myself better."

"If you would," I mumble.

"I've been in love with Shuichi Minamino for years," she starts. "He's so smart and handsome and nice. Everything about him is perfect." I have to bite my tongue so as not to laugh. Perfect is not a word I would use to describe him.

"I was about to ask him out when you showed up, ruining everything! How was I supposed to do anything with you sniffing around?" She kicks me in the side again, and I hold my breath, not giving her the satisfaction of any kind of reaction. It's just like the old days, back when I endured this kind of beating from Hide. It didn't break me then, and it won't break me now.

"I don't see how that was my fault," I hiss. "I didn't exactly seek him out back then."

"It's all your fault!" she shouts, landing another blow, this time on my knees. She stumbles back, wincing. That hurt her more than it hurt me. The blood trickling from my head seems to have stopped because I can't feel it flowing anymore. "You took him away from me, made him fall for you, and now I have to punish you. Now, I have the _power_ to punish you."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

" _What do you mean?_ " she says, imitating me, her voice high and nasally. "What I mean is, I'm going to make you regret ever coming into his life." She walks around behind me, and I grimace as she steps on my fingers. "I bet you're wondering why you can't use any of your weird powers."

 _It crossed my mind_. "Nope, not even a little." She kicks me hard in the back, and I suck in a breath. _Hey, now. What's going on?_ I definitely felt that.

"There's no point in lying," Mimic says. "I know you're curious." She grabs whatever is binding my wrists, and a sharp pain shoots through them. "Spirit Cuffs," she says, laughing.

How the hell did she manage those? I thought Spirit Cuffs were the kind of things only someone with immense amounts of spirit energy could produce. I don't feel anything coming from this girl. Maybe the cuffs are suppressing my ability to sense energy as well.

"So, what's your plan?" I ask. "He's not going to fall for you just because I'm out of the picture."

"That's where the brilliant part comes in," she says, her voice sounding a little...manic. "All I have to do is pretend to be you. I'll take your place, and he'll fall for me because I look like you. And then, after he's mine, I'll be me again, and he'll realize he never loved you at all! It'll be perfect!"

"You're actual crazy," I say, shaking my head. "There's no way that will work."

She spits, and I hear it hit the ground somewhere near my head. "What do you know? You've been with him all this time, and you don't even know how in love with you he is."

"Ha. You're the epitome of delusional. We're just friends."

" _We're just friends_ ," she parrots. "You'll see." She steps on my midsection to come around to the front again, and I gasp, black spots swimming before my eyes. "You're so pathetic, settling for something so stupid."

"It's not stupid!" I snap. "Being friends with him is one of the best things that's ever happened to me, and if you can't see that, then you're the stupid one."

 _Oops._

"Now that's more like it," she purrs. "That's how rivals should talk with each other. They need fire in their hearts and their words. This is going to make forcing you to eat your words so much sweeter." She presses a hand to my head, and I stiffen as it feels like something is pulled out of me. When she steps away, I gasp.

She looks just like me. It's like looking into a mirror, except she's not covered in blood or cuffed. Giggling, she twirls around, long red braid swishing with the movement. It's a terrifyingly good copy.

"Unfortunately," she says, her voice coming out sounding just like mine, "it's not a perfect replica. I can't do like your new friend Yana, knowing your memories and stuff, but it's good enough to fool people, don't you think?" She grins before kicking me with all my demon strength, sending me flying into the wall behind me. It shakes with the impact, pieces of ceiling falling and landing on me.

"Man, it feels good to be this strong! How do you not just go around destroying things?" she asks, my voice echoing in my ears. I hate it. I hate it so much. How dare she wear my skin, wear the body I worked so hard to make strong with none of the suffering I had to go through.

"Dammit," I whisper, gritting my teeth.

"Perfect, perfect," she sings, and I look up to find her walking over to me. "There's just one thing I'm missing. She reaches toward me, and I ram my head into her hands, making her draw back. "Be a good girl and quit moving." She puts one hand on my head, pressing it hard into the ground. With her other, she reaches around my neck, and by the time I realize what she's doing, it's too late.

"No!" I shriek as she holds the necklace Kurama gave me in her hands.

"I can't recreate items that are precious to the person I mimic either," she says, smiling at the necklace. "It's so lovely." She puts it on, a triumphant look on her face. "I won't hide it like you did. I'm not afraid to show it off."

"Give it back, you bitch!" I shout, forcing myself upright. "Your plan won't work. He'll see through you in an instant!"

" _He'll see through you in an instant!_ " This time, she uses my exact inflection to mimic me, and my heart sinks low in my chest. "Don't worry, Asaki. I'll come back to feed you sometimes. Until then, just be a good girl, and don't cause any trouble." She pats me on the head, and I bite her hand, making her cry out. "I said _be good_!" She punches me squarely in the face, my neck jerking back as my skull collides with the wall, sending everything into darkness.

…

When I come to, everything hurts. It takes a moment for things to come back to me, but when they do, I want to scream or cry or blow the whole building up. Instead, I take slow, deep breaths. _Focus. Assess the situation_. Spirit cuffs just bind energy, they aren't what's holding my hands together. I block out the various stiffnesses, the aches that are accosting me, to bring my awareness just to my wrists. It feels like rope. That, I can work with.

I sit myself upright, looking at my surroundings. It's dark in here, but there's a little bit of light streaming in from a window high in one wall. It looks like an old warehouse. Actually, it looks like the warehouse where Botan had opened that portal back when Yusuke and Kuwabara were hunting the Four Saint Beasts. Wouldn't that be something else, if somehow I've come full circle?

Reminiscing aside, I need to get my hands and legs unbound. Just because my energy is trapped doesn't mean my strength is gone. Using some boxes and an awful lot of effort, I manage to get to my feet. With enough force, I think I can worry the rope enough to make it fray and then just break it.

It's not a great plan. I don't know how long I was unconscious the first time, when I was brought here, and I don't know how long I was out the second time, but I know even a minute is too much. Who knows what kind of problems that awful woman is causing in my body. The thought of her using my skin to get close to Kurama makes me sick.

Shaking off every thought but getting my hands free, I use the brick wall behind me, dragging the ropes against the wall as hard as I can. My body is growing stiff, the injuries I've sustained wearing me down. I'm probably just running on adrenaline right now, but I can't give up. I have to get out of here.

I stop every few minutes to try and pull my hands free, but nothing's doing. A half an hour passes before I finally break the rope. When I bring my arms around, I wince. They're red and raw from the times I scraped them against the wall. There are lacerations on my wrists from where the rope had been. This sucks so much. The spirit cuffs glow faintly, mocking me with how cheerfully yellow they are.

Taking slow, deep breaths, I crouch down, untying my feet so that my legs are free. I stretch, immediately regretting it as pain trips through every inch of me. This would be a really bad time for me to suddenly be able to feel pain again, but honestly, this whole day has just been complete crap.

I look around, trying to figure out what my next plan of action should be. I'm on a ledge overlooking the rest of the warehouse, and the only way down is probably going to be jumping. This is going to suck. Where's a ladder when I need one?

"Brace yourself," I mutter, sitting down on the ledge and easing myself over. I hit the ground, planning on rolling to do something with my momentum, but the pain from the initial fall is so intense that I scream, falling onto my face.

The sound of rapid footsteps echoes in my ringing ears, and when I look up, it's to find Kurama and...me. He's got Mimic by the wrist, murder in his eyes that immediately turns to concern. He drags her in, glaring daggers at her that freeze her in place.

I push myself upright, hissing in pain. Kurama's at my side in seconds, touching me very gingerly as he helps me to my feet. "Asaki," he breathes, and I give him a nod.

"H-hey," I mumble.

He sighs, pressing his forehead against mine, and I close my eyes, suddenly enveloped by the smell of roses. The smell of Kurama.

"Why?" My voice echoes from Mimic's mouth, and I grit my teeth at the sound. "Why her?! What's the difference?! I'm wearing her face!"

"But you're not me," I say, meeting those familiar blue eyes. "If you really knew Kurama, and if you really knew me, you'd know it has nothing to do with my face. We're friends because of everything we've been through together."

"But, I love you!" she cries, tears in her eyes as she looks at Kurama.

"I'm sorry," Kurama replies, "but I don't return the sentiment."

She takes a step back, looking like she's going to run, which is when I notice the glint of silver still at her neck. Like hell is she getting away from me with that.

I don't know where I find the strength, but I dash across the warehouse, tackling Mimic to the ground and punching her hard in the face before I take my necklace back.

She's looking up at me with teary eyes, but her expression is defiant. "Do it! Kill me! I don't want to be alive if I can't have what I want."

"Grow up," I grumble. "You're not worth an eternity in Spirit World prison." I shakily get to my feet, glaring down at her. "However, if you ever cause trouble for me or my friends again, I won't hesitate to kill you, do I make myself clear?"

She nods weakly, shedding my skin, her own brown eyes looking up at me for a long moment before she starts sobbing. I sigh, taking a step back and almost losing my balance. My legs feel like jelly. I glance over at Kurama who's by my side now. He looks like he wants to ask me a million questions, but he's holding back.

I shuffle to the front of the warehouse, leaving that girl behind, but the moment I step outside, my legs give out. Kurama catches me, his voice forcibly light as he says, "I was waiting for that. I'm impressed you lasted this long."

"How bad do I look?" I ask him, not complaining for once as he lifts me up, walking slowly so as not to jostle me too much.

"Like you were hit by a truck and then it backed over you," he replies, his voice flat.

"I figured." I close my eyes, trying to fight back the tears that want to spill over. "I'm sorry."

"If you're trying to apologize for being kidnapped, please don't. There was nothing you could do."

"But I've wasted so much of your time," I mumble. "I'm sure you had better things to do than to come save me."

His body tenses slightly, his grip on me tightening, and I try not to squirm as a jolt of pain races through me. What the hell is going on? "I think you could take a lesson from Yusuke," Kurama says, his voice terse. "He never complains when we take time to save him."

"Yeah, but Yusuke's a moron," I mumble as Kurama relaxes the tiniest bit.

"Moron, yes. Stupid, no. We're a team, Asaki. You're no less rescuable than anyone else."

I nod, sighing as I focus on breathing. I feel kind of dizzy, but at least my bleeding has stopped. Kurama won't get too gross carrying me.

He walks in silence for a while, and I close my eyes, wishing I could fall asleep right now. That's when a thought occurs to me. "Shit! I didn't even ask how to get these damn things off!" I raise my wrists, staring hopelessly at the Spirit Cuffs.

Kurama sighs, and I feel my heart constrict at the sound. He's disappointed in me. So am I, honestly. "It's most likely a word. Did she give you any clues?"

"Clues?" I frown. What kind of word would Sana have chosen to break the cuffs? "I have no idea."

"Think on it," Kurama replies, sounding exasperated.

I bite my lip, letting my hands rest in my lap, closing my eyes tightly. This is awful. If he's going to be so upset with me, I think I'd rather be back in the warehouse. The silence falls once again, thick between us.

"I'm so-"

"Asaki, please," he snaps, and I flinch, making him huff out a breath. " _Stop apologizing._ "

"But you're angry," I whisper.

"Not at you." His voice grows gentle, but it still doesn't assuage the awful feeling in my gut. "Asaki, I'm not upset with you, I promise. It's the situation in general that makes me unhappy."

I nod, swallowing hard. That may be the case, but having to babysit me isn't helping anything. Not that I would say that aloud. He's already agitated enough. Instead, I just close my eyes tightly again, focusing on my breath.

He doesn't say anything more, and neither do I as he carries me the rest of the way to Yusuke's. It starts to rain after a little while, but it almost feels nice, like it's washing away the mess I've been in since this whole thing started.

When we get to the door, I worm my way out of his arms, managing to stand with the help of the door frame. I'm soaked and exhausted, but when the door flies open, I'm wide awake. Botan is standing on the other side, eyes wide.

"Asaki, where have you been? I was so worried when you disappeared, and then Kuwabara showed up all beaten up and with an enemy in tow, and...what on earth…? Are you bleeding?"

"One thing at a time," Kurama says, helping me inside. "I don't suppose you can heal her at all?"

"Not at the moment," she replies. "I spent most of my energy on Kuwabara and his friends. Are those...spirit cuffs?"

I nod my head, too tired to really speak.

"Oh, dear. All right, let's get you into a bath. We can wash the blood off you, and maybe you'll feel more up to explaining what happened."

"You're beautiful," I mumble to Botan as she half-carries me to the bathroom.

"Why, thank you," she replies, "though this is no time for that. I'll get the water running and get you some fresh clothes, all right?"

"Mm." Botan helps me undress and starts to fill the tub while I turn the shower head on the gentlest setting, worried that it might actually hurt to have water hitting my various wounds.

"I'll be right back," she tells me as I begin to undo my braid. It's also caked in blood, though it's hard to tell with how dark my hair is. Botan comes back as I slide into the bathtub, watching the water turn faintly rusty. I didn't get all the blood out, apparently.

"Oh, gosh darn it," she mutters. "Blood is so difficult to wash out all the way."

"True," I murmur. The cuts don't sting like they ought to, and I wonder if that pain I was feeling earlier today wasn't just...in my head.

"I'll let you save your story for when we're all together. For now, I'll tell you what happened to Kuwabara."

I don't know what I was expecting, really. Kuwabara had been attacked by one of the seven enemies we were up against. He'd beaten him in a fight, and then, for some strange reason, had brought him back here so we could look after him.

"I will never understand Kuwabara," I mumble dunking my head in the water and blowing bubbles for a few moments before surfacing again.

"He's truly something," Botan replies. "He treats friends and enemies as equals. Anyone is redeemable in his eyes."

"That's a fault as much as it is a virtue," I reply. "Not everyone has the capacity for good, you know."

"I do, and so do you, but I wonder about Kuwabara. I think, while having an enemy here is dangerous, he'll also be an excellent source of information."

"If he's willing to talk." Sighing, I get out of the water, my whole body protesting. I hurt. A lot. Taking a deep breath, I school my expression so Botan can't see, as I say, "Keep your enemies close, right?"

"True enough." Botan says, helping me into soft pajamas. I'm so very grateful the clothing is thin and not heavy. It doesn't hurt where it rubs against my wounds.

I take my hair tie, but rather than trying to rebraid my hair, I just pull it back in a low ponytail. I'm too tired for anything more. I lean on Botan, stepping out of the bathroom to find Shizuru and Keiko there, looking worried.

"Are you okay?" Keiko asks, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

"I'm fine," I mumble. "No sweat."

"You're a real bad liar, kid," Shizuru replies, rolling her eyes. "You look like you were hit by a truck."

"And then backed over," I add, giving her a smile.

"Moron." She shakes her head, sighing. "Everyone is in the living room, if you want to join them."

"Thank you, Shizuru," Botan says. "You girls have been very helpful."

"We can't fight," Keiko says, "so we have to make ourselves useful somehow, right?"

"I think we'd go nuts otherwise," Shizuru adds.

"I'm sorry, girls." Botan waves at them as she helps me into the living room. Everyone looks up as I enter, and I'm not really surprised to see Kuwabara looking as crappy as I do.

"Wow, you look like-" Yusuke starts.

"Thank you, Shizuru just made a joke at my expense," I growl at him.

"Just sit down and tell us what happened," Genkai says, looking irritated. I don't blame her. Nothing seems to really be going according to plan here. Then again, that's par for the course for us.

I lean against Botan when we take a seat across next to Kuwabara and Yusuke. Kaito, Yana, and Kurama are here as well, the former two looking concerned. "Um, I got kidnapped?" I start, frowning. "Botan and I were walking, and someone came up behind me and told me she'd hurt Botan if I struggled. She knocked me out, and I woke up in a warehouse. She put these on me when I was unconscious." I hold up the spirit cuffs, making Genkai frown.

"And you didn't force her to take them off." Genkai sighs, a crease forming between her brows.

"I didn't think about it," I reply. "I was a little preoccupied trying to escape. She beat the shit out of me, copied my body, and then went to find Kurama."

"Why?" Yusuke asks.

"She'd convinced herself she was in love with me," Kurama replies, shaking his head. "Apparently, kidnapping a friend of mine and pretending to be her was the best way to win me over."

"I think she was just delusional," I mumble. "She called herself 'Mimic'".

"So, she's not affiliated with our enemies," Kaito replies. "Leave it to Asaki to get kidnapped by someone with nothing to do with our current plight."

I think getting physically punched in the gut would have hurt less than those words. He's managed to perfectly vocalize exactly what I've been feeling this whole time. My stomach is in knots, and I feel like I'm going to be sick. So many emotions are boiling inside of me right now.

Instead of exploding, instead of attacking Kaito, verbally or otherwise, I get on my knees, bowing low, not quite a proper _dogeza_ , but still incredibly polite all the same, and I say, "I'm sorry. I've wasted everyone's time."

Silence meets my words, falling thick and heavy in the room.

After what feels like ages, Genkai sighs. "It's fine. You're not the first idiot today who's given me more gray hair."

"Pretty sure that was Kuwabara," Yusuke grunts, and I flinch at what I'm sure was the sound of him being hit in the head. Looking up, I see Genkai standing over an angry-looking Yusuke.

"You have no room to talk," she snaps. "All of these children are going to really kill me now." Genkai levels a look at me, saying, "I'm glad you're okay. It's not your fault you got kidnapped, but it is your fault you still have those stupid cuffs on. Go get some rest, and think about how to get them off."

I nod, tears pricking my eyes. Wiping them away, I get to my feet, feeling a little dizzy. "Thank you." I bow again, and Botan sighs, also standing.

"Come on. Let's get you into a bed. We're going to run out soon if we take in any more people."

Botan helps me to a different room and to bed, pulling the covers up. "Just shout if you need anything, dear," she tells me, smiling.

"Thanks, Botan. So much."

"Of course. Just focus on feeling better now, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." I'm asleep before I even hear the door close.

* * *

A/N:There's so much potential with people awakening psychic powers in the city, so I thought I'd kick Asaki while she's down because I'm unkind to my poor girl. I've had this and the next few chapters planned for a very long time, but writing them was an absolute bear. I think I've said that before, but these have been killing me. I've hit a hard road block, but I'm hoping to power through it. *fingers crossed*

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to bluerose921, YukinaBlueRose, and YourHomeGirlJen for the reviews!


	48. Keep Sleeping Beauty

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since I last updated! I really hadn't meant to go this long, but things have been pretty rough lately. Thanks to everyone who's been bearing with me all this time. Also, to everyone who said I needed to give Asaki a break, I apologize in advance. She'll get one eventually, I swear.**

* * *

It's still dark when I wake up, sweating. I'd had this dream that I would never get these spirit cuffs off. Even as I took my last dying breath, they were still there. That had been what woke me.

"Dammit," I mumble, running a hand through my messy hair. I force myself to braid it, even at the protest of my stiff muscles. By the time I'm done, I just want to go back to sleep. Instead, I force myself to my feet, heading to the bathroom.

I wipe the sweat off my face, splashing it with cool water and looking at my reflection in the mirror. There are bruises forming on my face, and there's a bit of dried blood. Sighing, I try my best to wipe it off, careful not to reopen my wounds. When I'm done, I look a little less like I lost a really bad fight.

The house is so quiet, as I slowly make my way back to the room I'd been sleeping in. I don't know whose room it is, but it means someone doesn't have a bed since I'm taking it. Knowing my friends, they would never complain, but that doesn't stop me from feeling bad.

I pass a room on my right, when I hear a moan. It sounds like someone in pain. Frowning, I hesitantly push the door open to find someone I don't know lying in a bed. _This must be the guy Kuwabara fought. Our enemy_. His head is bandaged, his face contorted in pain.

Part of me just wants to leave him. From what Botan told me, this guy was really trying to kill Kuwabara and his friends. People like that don't deserve kindness.

Instead, I walk over to the nightstand where someone has left a bowl, water, and a washcloth. I dip the cloth in the water and rest it on the stranger's forehead. If I had access to my powers, I could heal him, but as it is, this is all I can do. He relaxes slightly, his breathing a little less harsh.

Sometimes...people just make poor choices. Human or demon, we're all just people. This guy...he can't be much older than Yusuke and Kuwabara. If one of them were the enemy instead, would I wish them harm? Would I begrudge someone so young for their actions?

I guess, it would depend on why they did it.

He starts awake, his eyes wide in fear as he looks up at me. I take a step back as he jerks upright, the washcloth falling into his lap. "Wh-who are you?" he gasps.

"Calm down," I say, holding my hands out toward him in a stopping gesture. "I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Asaki. I'm friends with the guys who brought you here."

"Asaki," he breathes. "That makes you my enemy."

"In a sense. You should lay back down. You're going to make your injuries worse." Not that I have room to talk. Then again, I think my demon body is made of tougher stuff than his squishy human one.

He moves himself so he's leaning against the headboard, still sitting up, his eyes on me. "What do you want?" he asks.

"You were moaning in your sleep. I came to see if you were okay," I reply, gesturing to the washcloth. It's somewhat true. I did check to see who was making that noise. However, I also thought about just leaving him.

"Why?" he snaps, glaring up at me, his hands grabbing the washcloth and wringing it tightly. A little bit of water drips onto the blanket, but he doesn't seem to notice. "Why do you guys keep being nice to me?" He looks tortured. That expression on his face hits me right in the stomach. I'm sure I've made it many times before. In an instant, my enmity toward him fades, replaced with empathy. He's just...confused. Hurt. Lost.

"Why not?" I ask. Before he can offer rebuttal, I say, "What's your name?"

It takes him a second to process my words. Clearly, this isn't what he was expecting from me. "Seaman," he replies, his voice terse. The intensity of his expression fades from his face, leaving it empty, but it's still in his eyes.

Seaman. So, he's definitely on the enemy side. "Not your codename," I say. "What's your actual name?"

"Mitarai." He looks down at where his hands are still vise gripping that washcloth, and I find myself almost relieved. I see too much of my old self in those eyes.

"What's your story, Mitarai?"

"Why do you care?" he snaps. "Your friends are just going to tell you anyway."

"I don't want their version," I reply, trying my hardest not to let his attitude get to me. "I want to hear yours."

"Not like it matters. Sensui is going to destroy all of us anyway. Once humans are gone, the world will be a better place."

"I don't know about that." I put a hand on my hip, thinking. _Sensui, huh? I guess he's the leader._ "Sensui's plan is to open a gate to Demon World, right? So, demons will move in and take over. There won't be much left when they're done to wreck, sure, but demons suck too. Humans don't have the monopoly on that."

"They can't be worse than humans."

"You think so? I know demons who eat their children, who slaughter each other for sport and torture for fun." I shudder at my own words, taking a steeling breath. Today is not my day.

"Humans do the same things," he replies. "We just hurt and hurt, and we don't stop. We don't deserve to be alive."

I shake my head. "Maybe not, but you are. So, I guess you need to figure out what to do with that existence."

"I'm going to help Sensui destroy everything," he barks, gritting his teeth.

"If that's really what you think you need to do, then go for it. Just keep in mind that my friends and I need to stop you." We fall silent for a long moment, and I sigh. "I understand where you're coming from, Mitarai. I used to want the world to end too. Since I could never manage to kill myself, I used to think maybe if I killed everyone, they would just leave me alone."

"That's awful."

"Isn't that what you're trying to do?" I ask him. Our eyes meet, and I can tell he wants to look away, but he can't. "Just because you're not the one doing the killing, do you think that makes you better than me?"

"No!" he shouts. "I just-"

The door opens behind me, making Mitarai and I both jump. Kurama steps in, looking surprised. "Is everything all right in here?" he asks. He looks wide-awake, like he's been up for a while.

"Y-yeah," I reply, feeling a little silly. Here I am, standing in here, talking to this guy in the middle of the night. What am I even trying to accomplish? If he's so set on destroying everything, what difference will my words make?

A shooting pain zips through my skull, and suddenly, my whole body is in agony. I collapse to my knees, grabbing either side of my head as the sharp pain fades, leaving my body aching.

"Asaki?" Kurama's hands are on my shoulders, and he's kneeling in front of me.

"I'm fine," I gasp, shaking my head as I try to steady my breathing. "I think I just need to lay back down."

"All right." He helps me to my feet, and I lean heavily on him as he helps me toward the door.

"Mitarai," I say, swallowing hard and looking over my shoulder. "I really do get some of what you're feeling. You've got two choices. You can either give in and let the people who hurt you win, or you can keep living, day by day, until you're stronger than they are. Your life is too important to throw away without at least thinking about that."

I face the door again, and Kurama helps me out of the room. He closes the door behind us, and I let out a huff. "Kill me now."

"I suppose I could just drop you here," Kurama replies.

"If you would."

He lets out a little laugh before asking, "What were you doing in there?"

"Talking to my new best friend," I retort. When he doesn't say anything, I sigh. "I woke up feeling gross, so I went to wash my face. On my way back, I heard someone in pain, so I went to check. Found Mitarai. I wasn't really sure what to do, so I put a cool washcloth on his head. I think it woke him up, so we started talking."

"I see." He pushes open the door to the room I'd been staying in, helping me into bed. "You've changed," he says when I'm finally settled, resting against the wall to keep me upright. I'm still tired, but the pain has dulled.

"Yeah?"

"When we first met, I doubt you'd have thought twice about him, let alone spoken to him like you did."

"You're not wrong," I say, yawning. The aching has dulled, so it barely bothers me anymore. "I think I just wanted to talk to him, to try to understand him. It turns out, I understand him way more than I ever wanted to." Pressing a hand to the side of my head, I sigh. "He reminds me of me years and years ago, back when I hated everything."

Kurama nods, a small smile forming on his face. "You truly have changed much since then."

"Yeah? Sometimes I still feel like that angry, scared girl." I look down at my lap, sighing. My hands are scratched and callused from all of the training and my run-in earlier. They look so small and helpless, especially with the spirit cuffs casting a dull light on them. I wish I could fire up; I need the comfort of my own strength.

Kurama takes one of my hands, and I freeze, the warmth of his touch spreading through me. He's looking down at my hands, that same small smile still resting on his face. "It's okay to feel that way sometimes, as long as you know you're much stronger now." He moves his thumb in small, slow circles, and for some reason, I almost feel like crying. It's just...it's such a nice touch after a rough day.

"Your actions actually remind me of Kuwabara."

"Say what?" I look up at him, eyebrow raised. _Calm down, Asaki. It's just Kurama._

"You're in no shape to be worrying about other people, and yet you went out of your way to help a complete stranger. If that isn't the essence of Kuwabara, I'm not sure what is."

I frown, saying, "I guess, if you put it that way, it does sound like him. But it's not like I'm saving anyone over here."

"Asaki, you've been saving me since the day we met. I'm sure Yusuke and Kuwabara feel the same." His gaze on me is intense, and in this moment, I feel like he can see right through me, into my very soul. And quite frankly, for the span of a breath, I find I don't mind.

"Kurama, I…." I stop myself short, my face burning red. "Thank you."

He squeezes my hand before letting it go, leaving me feeling a little cold. "Get some sleep. You've got a lot to catch up on, but it can wait until morning."

"Mm-hmm," I say, not trusting myself to speak.

"Good night."

He leaves the room, and I slide down under the covers, ignoring the faint pricks where the fabric slides against my bruises. I'd almost said it. Despite all my misgivings, despite all the consequences and complications, despite the fact that it's absolutely not something we would have had time to deal with, I'd almost let his words get to me.

I almost told Kurama I loved him.

…

Morning finds me much earlier than I would have liked it to. I sit up in bed, stretching before I can remember that it ought to hurt. However...it doesn't. My body feels just like normal, no pain whatsoever. I look down at my wrists to see the spirit cuffs are still there, as are all the bruises, so it wasn't a dream. Reaching toward my neck, my hand finds my rose necklace, and I grip it tightly, sighing.

Getting out of bed, I step into the hallway in time to hear: "Earth to Toddler Bitch! You'd better speak now before I forever shove your pacifier ten inches down your throat!"

Yusuke yelling at Koenma? I head toward where I'd heard his voice coming from, poking my head into the room. Genkai, Botan, Kurama, and Yusuke are gathered around the briefcase they've been using to get in touch with Koenma. Stepping inside, I stand next to Botan who gives me a weary smile before focusing on the screen again.

"Kurama says you've known who was behind this from the start!" Yusuke shouts at Koenma. "Why the hell haven't you told me?"

Wouldn't that be something. I would have thought Koenma would give us all the information we needed since he was so invested in our success. Maybe...he didn't think this was necessary?

"I wasn't positive until the video tape," Koenma replies coolly. Video tape? I frown, rubbing my hand over a particularly nasty bruise on my arm. "Only one man has a copy of that. I just didn't want to believe it."

"Cut to the meat, pal!" Yusuke snaps.

"As you wish, Yusuke." I'm not used to serious Koenma. That worries me more than most anything else. "The name of the mastermind...is Shinobu Sensui. He was the Spirit Detective of the Earth before you came along."

I don't think being punched in the face by Botan would have surprised me more than what Koenma just said. An ex-Spirit Detective? Why would someone like that want to destroy the world?

"This is a photo of him from high school," Koenma says, putting a picture of Sensui on the screen.

"That face," Yusuke says, echoing my thoughts. "That's the guy who confronted us on the fairway."

"He looks much less cold here," I add, my mind churning. A Spirit Detective who went bad, went into hiding, most likely, and then resurfaced with a gang to destroy the world. Did he see something on the job that turned him? I wonder, if Yusuke wasn't who he was, would he have turned after all the things he's seen?

"He was gifted with an incredibly strong sense of right and wrong," Koenma continues. "Perhaps too strong. It was about ten years ago when he simply disappeared. In the weeks leading up to that, I remember he always asked me the same question: are we even worth protecting? Then, the Chapter Black video vanished from the vault, and so did he."

Chapter Black? _The_ Chapter Black? None of the others look all that surprised, so they must have already known the thing existed, somehow, but it's news to me. Part of me is insatiably curious, and the rest of me is trying not to be sick. A video tape that contains the worst of humanities crimes...and this Sensui has it in his hands? Maybe...maybe he showed it to Mitarai, and that was part of why the guy was so messed up.

"We tried to track him down but to no use," Koenma says. "I hoped he'd gone into seclusion, never to be bothered. But, why would he resurface now? Be careful Yusuke. He's incredibly lethal. I'm leaving for Living World now." With that, Koenma signs off.

"A detective," Yusuke mutters. He gets to his feet, balling a hand into a fist. "Well, I'm sure as hell not going to let someone like me be the end of the world."

Times like this, I love Yusuke. His cocky attitude and self-awareness are things to be admired in tense situations. I wish I had a tenth of his confidence, even if he's just bluffing his way through everything.

"An enemy just like you?" Genkai says, turning to look away from us. "I wasn't prepared for that."

"Look, Botan, no more innocent acts. What the hell is this" Yusuke asks her, his voice low.

"Why me?" she asks.

"You help Spirit Detectives, right? You must have known this guy." Yusuke sinks to the ground, sitting cross-legged. The rest of us follow suit, Genkai sitting at a low table, drinking tea.

"In those days, I was just a simple grim reaper."

"Oh, give me a break," Yusuke grunts. "What good's an assistant if they can't dish out the gossip? You might as well have stayed on your oar."

"Well, maybe I should have. I liked that job. It takes sacrifices to stay on my oar all day."

"I don't think this is relevant," I say, shaking my head. My hands are trembling a little, and Botan looks at me with concern.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just tired. Botan, you don't know anything about Sensui?"

She gives a cat-like smile. "In that case, I'm useless." She meows, and I find myself smiling.

"Nothing we can do but wait until Bitch Baby comes," Yusuke says, looking like that's the last thing he wants to do.

"How's Kuwabara?" I ask.

"He's doing better," Botan replies. "He may be up now, actually. It might go to check on Mitarai as well, I think his bandages might need to be changed."

I want to tag along, to see how Kuwabara's doing, but I'm not sure I have it in me to face Mitarai again. Last night was...painful. So much hurt, so much anger and distrust in one person. I think if I stare into his eyes for too long, I'd start feeling the same way again.

Botan gets to her feet, and I stare down at my hands, feeling useless once more. "I'll just be in the next room." No one says anything, and she leaves.

"You kind of look like you've seen a ghost," Yusuke says, making me look up. "You're really pale."

I shrug. "Just...processing things."

"When was the last time you ate?" Kurama asks. I look at him for a moment, but for some reason, he has this piercing look in his eyes that I can't hold.

"Lunchtime yesterday."

"You should eat." He gets to his feet, turning to leave the room. "I'll get you something."

"If you want. I don't know that I'll be able to keep it down, though."

He looks back at me, frowning, before saying, "You should try." I merely nod, and he leaves. When he comes back, I see he's got crackers and some water. That, I might be able to eat okay.

"Thanks," I tell him, munching very slowly on the food and taking tiny swigs of water. It calms my shaking and clears my head a little. _Just breathe._ I feel so vulnerable without my powers, but I can't let anyone know that. I'm still a demon. I have my pride.

A few minutes later, Kuwabara comes into the room with adult-form Koenma behind him. "Hey, Asaki!" Kuwabara says to me. "What happened to you?"

"Story for another time," I tell him. "Same as yours."

"Yes," Koenma adds. "We should get straight to business."

To that end, Kuwabara, Koenma, Kurama, Yusuke, Genkai, and I gather around the table to listen to Koenma's story.

Apparently, Shinobu Sensui had always had a strong sense for spirits. That was part of the reason he'd been chosen as a Spirit Detective. That dedication to what he believed was right had carried him through many missions. However, he saw something he should never have seen.

When Koenma describes the mass demon slaying and bathing in their blood that Sensui witnessed at the hands of humans, those crackers threaten to come back up. I ball my hands into fists so tight I nearly draw blood. I can't fault Sensui for hating humans after that. I can't blame him for his sense of right and wrong getting so skewed. It's hard to handle your strongest beliefs getting destroyed like that.

However, that doesn't mean taking it out on the innocent is right.

"I don't know where Sensui's been these past ten years or why he waited til now," Koenma says, getting to his feet. "I let myself believe he'd lost his mind and was harmless. I should have tracked him better. One thing I know about Sensui is that he'll never stop. Not until he's accomplished his goal."

Suddenly, Yusuke and Kurama both turn, and I look out the window to see two figures standing on a rooftop across the way.

"We're not alone," Yusuke says.

Even from this distance, I would remember that cold, cruel face. It's Sensui and someone else...probably one of the other seven. Kurama and Yusuke run over to the window, looking ready to fight. They both have to know Sensui wouldn't pick a fight on our turf. His plans have been too carefully crafted for that. Something tells me he's been counting on his people failing all this time. We're being tested. This must be a game to him.

We watch as Sensui nods to the other man, who raises his hand, palm up. He takes his other, and poises it so that he can flick with his index finger. The man aims at us before slowly moving it toward the next room.

"They're after Mitarai!" Kuwabara shouts.

"Oh, no," I gasp, getting to my feet as Kuwabara runs from the room. I follow him into the other room in time to watch him tackle Mitarai to the ground as five dice fly through the glass, embedding themselves where the young man had been sitting seconds before.

"You mind telling me what that was, Kazuma?" Shizuru asks, taking her headphones off her head.

"The bad guys found us! They're here!" Kuwabara shouts. Botan gasps, and Kuwabara looks over at her. "Hit the ground, Botan. They're attacking through the window. Don't let them see you." She does as he says as Kuwabara gets off of Mitarai. "I don't know how they got here."

Mitarai suddenly reaches in his pocket, pulling something out. It looks like a small machine in his hand. "What is this?" he says.

"What?" Botan growls. "I can't believe this. It looks like they bugged you!" She turns to look out the window, shouting, "How could you do that to your own teamm-"

Another die flies through the window before she can finish, and they all duck, me taking a step back into the doorway. Setting my eyes on the two men, I read Sensui's lips, gritting my teeth.

"Apparently, they knew all this would happen. Sensui was counting on the fact that Mitarai couldn't separate himself from the rest of humanity. As though that was a bad thing," I state, balling my hands into fists. _What can I do? How can I help?_

Kuwabara walks closer to the window, and I sigh as he says, "Maggots. Ready to kill your own man because he lost his convenience." Growling, he turns and sprints out of the room, shouting, "I'm going to get you punks!"

"Hey!" Shizuru cries.

"No, don't!" Mitarai calls after him. "That's exactly what they want you to do!" He gasps in pain, doubling over.

"What does that mean?" I ask, moving closer to Mitarai as I hear more footsteps in the hallway. Yusuke zips past, chasing after Kuwabara. They're going to fight, and I can't do a damn thing to help. _What should I do?_

"Don't get any closer," Mitarai hisses, his eyes on the scene below us. Yusuke and Kuwabara are facing down Sensui and the other man who must be Sniper. The way he launched those dice leaves no doubt in my mind.

"Asaki!" I turn around, locking eyes with Kurama. "We're going after them. Stay here and keep everyone safe." Without another word, he runs past, followed by Genkai and Koenma.

That leaves me here, in the background while everyone else is risking their lives, all because I was stupid enough to get kidnapped. "Dammit!" I shout, yanking on the spirit cuffs around my wrists to no avail. Why am I so useless?

Botan and Shizuru help Mitarai onto the bed, and I watch, my stomach sinking to my feet. If this is the only thing Kurama thinks I can do right now, then I have to do it to the best of my ability.

"What are you thinking?" Botan asks Mitarai as I pull open the window all the way. There's less exposed glass this way. Watching down below, I find I wish I could fire up. Not having access to my flames makes me nervous in the worst way. Botan joins me soon after, bringing my attention back to the people below.

"It's begun," she says, and I nod. Yusuke has stepped forward from the group to stand across from Sensui. The two are staring each other down.

"Safety!" Mitarai shouts. "Bring him into safety! They'll take him!"

Botan turns to face Mitarai as I keep my eyes on the fight below. "You have to tell me what you're talking about!" she says.

"Kuwabara's in danger!" he shouts.

"My brother may be accident prone, but with the others, he's safe," Shizuru says.

"You're not understanding me," Mitarai says. "Mr. Sensui desperately wants to recruit him to his side."

Botan and Shizuru exchange a look before Shizuru shakes her head. "You've got the wrong guy. No one wants Kazuma on their side; they get stuck with him."

That's pretty harsh, but maybe it's a sibling thing. Kuwabara is the kind of guy who always comes through when you need him, even if it takes him a few tries to get there. I'd pick him first for a team if I had to.

"No, I'm sure Kuwabara is the psychic. Mr. Sensui needs his power to cut down the barrier."

"What?" I gasp as Botan says, "We've got to warn them!"

She runs forward, dashing to the edge of the balcony. "I can't see them! Where did they all go?" I start to follow her as she says, "Oh, great, they've moved on."

That's when I see Sniper atop the roof across the way. "Botan, move!" I shout, grabbing her and yanking her back inside as something flies at us. Marbles embed themselves in the wall behind us, but we make it out of the way just in time.

"This sucks so much," I growl. "All of you are in danger if you stay here."

"There's nowhere else to go!" Botan replies, her eyes wide. "Mitarai isn't well enough to run. You're barely here yourself."

"That isn't true," I reply. "I'm perfectly fine." And I'll die before I let them hurt the people I love.

"I have an idea," Shizuru says from the other side of the room. She's got her back pressed against the bookshelf, Mitarai on the floor next to her. She dashes to the door as more marbles fly through from outside.

"Shizuru!" Botan shouts, "what are you doing?"

"My duty as a sister. He may piss me off sometimes, but he's my little bro, and I'm the only one who gets to pick on him." And just like that, she's out the door.

These women. They have no fighting prowess whatsoever, but they never let it get them down. I wish I had a tenth of their courage, their strength. All I can do is hide behind all my physical and spiritual power. When it really comes down to it, what do I have when that's gone?

A light flashes outside, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. "This is so stupid!" I scream, dashing forward as the light reveals itself to be a ball of pure energy. I stand, arms wide, legs at shoulder width, bracing myself as it collides with my body in an explosion of sound and light and pain. So much pain.

My body goes flying, and I hear myself collide with the wall behind me, but my whole body is such a living ache that I can't even tell what I'm hitting. I slide down the wall, the world spinning. Closing my eyes, I slump over, convulsing. My stomach heaves, but there's nothing to throw up aside from water.

"A-Asaki!" a voice reaches me, but it sounds like it's coming from the other side of a wall. I just want the pain to stop. When a hand falls on my shoulder, I scream, my body on fire, but not in the usual way.

"H-have I mentioned," I hiss, opening my eyes to see Botan looking down at me, her head bleeding a little, "how much I love...everyone?"

"Hang in there, Asaki!" she shouts, but I slip out of consciousness, finally succumbing to blissful darkness.

...

 _Botan_. I jerk upright, realizing I'm in a bed now. I must have passed out, and someone moved me here. Looking around, I see I'm back in the room I'd spent the night in. Moving my hands so I can push myself out of bed, I scratch my palm on something sharp. A rose. For some reason, the sight of it makes me uneasy. Something is wrong. I get out of bed, clasping the flower tightly in my fist.

What had happened? I'd caught that energy ball right in the stomach and been sent flying. Botan had asked me to hang in there…. That was all I could remember. Walking over to the door, I raise my free hand to push it open when I notice they're gone...the spirit cuffs. When did that happen? I summon fire into my palm, and it springs to life as though it had never left me.

 _What did I say?_ I try to think back to what happened before I lost consciousness. It's a little blurry, but I know the cuffs were still on when Botan was talking to me. What did I….

"Dammit," I grunt. Sana...Mimic. What had she been so obsessed about? Love. So, what the hell did I have to say to free myself? Love. I'm so stupid.

I turn the door handle, pushing, only to find it won't open. That's odd, and it does nothing for my uneasiness. I shove again, hearing something snap, but it still won't budge.

"I'm not in the mood for this," I whisper, before ramming the door with my shoulder. It flies open with a lot of snapping noises, and I step through the doorway, looking back to find what had been blocking my way: vines. Someone-it must have been Kurama-had covered the door, trying to keep me in. But...why?

Frowning, I slowly make my way through the apartment, wincing at the blood left in the room Mitarai, Botan, and I had been occupying. The bookcase is toppled over, all the glass from the window shattered, the bed torn to shreds. The hallway isn't in much better shape, pieces of the wall missing. How much good did my taking that shot actually do?

 _No. Don't think like that._ It got me to open my stupid mouth, to say what I probably wouldn't have otherwise. It got my powers back and...hopefully, it saved the others some injuries. I'm not completely useless.

Walking into the last room in the house, that last thought crumples like paper as the niggling fear in the back of my head is confirmed. They...left me behind. I'm here by myself while all of my friends' lives are in danger. I don't even know if they're alive.

"Ha. Hahaha." I sink to my knees, laughing as I stare down at my hands. It's not funny. Not at all, and yet I can't stop. Here I thought I was coming around, finally able to make a difference in the lives of those I care for. I thought...I thought I was part of the team. Apparently, no one else thought the same way.

"I'm sorry," I mumble to the air. "I'm so sorry. I...I promise, I'll do better. Just...don't leave me behind anymore." I'm so drained that I don't even have tears to cry as my heart breaks in two.

Don't leave me alone. Not again. Not like this.

...

...

...

...

...

I don't know how much time passes before I rouse myself, but when I do, I'm left feeling hollow. Grabbing hold of the table, thinking to push myself to my feet, my hand lands on something that crumples a little. Looking down, I see I've managed to mangle what looks like a note.

It has three words on it: Demon's Door Cave. And then the letters AA. Who wrote this? It doesn't look like Yusuke or Kuwabara; they have terrible handwriting. It wasn't Kurama. I know his handwriting too. Was it...Botan?

 _She's okay. Botan's okay._ Or at least she was whenever this was written. _Demon's Door Cave_. Where is that? I flip over the note, surprised to find a crudely drawn map on the back. Straightening out the paper, I study it for a minute, committing it to memory before crumpling it up and shoving it in my pocket. If Botan left me a note, then maybe she didn't want me to be left behind. So, who did?

I slowly get to my feet, unsteady as I make my way, slowly but surely, to the room I'd been staying in. I dig around in my bag, finding my communicator. I flip it open, calling Botan.

It takes a while for her to respond, but when she does, her eyes go wide. "Asaki!" She says my name, immediately throwing a hand over her mouth. "Oops. S-sorry. I can't talk right now." Her eyes flicker to someone else, and she winces, closing the communicator.

Several things start to fall into place, slowly, far too slowly, like my brain is putting together a thousand pieces instead of only a few. Botan left me that note. Whoever it was she was looking at must have been the person who wanted me left behind. That means she's not alone. The rose on my bed...the vines on my door…. It all slowly begins to make sense. The only thing that doesn't is...why.

Kurama didn't want me to come. How...how dare he? Who does he think he is?

Slowly, so slowly that I don't even notice until it's at boiling point, anger bubbles inside me. It rises from the pit of my stomach to the tips of my fingers, fire springing to life along my skin, dancing in the low light of the room. Now, I'm pissed.


	49. Endure

Running. So much of my life has been running from trouble, but this time, I'm running straight toward it, as fast as I can. The closer I get, the worse the feeling in the pit of my stomach gets. Occasionally, the ground beneath my feet trembles, furthering my discomfort. _Nice job, Asaki. This world's going to end, and you're going to be late to the start._ If I could just shoot the voice in my head, that'd be swell.

Just when I think maybe I've made a wrong turn, I hear the sound of Botan's voice. "Great job, guys! That was the most painless apocalypse averted yet! You're welcome, world!"

"Hate to piss on your parade." That sounds like Koenma. I stop running, moving quickly and quietly toward the voices. Peeking around a tree, I see Botan, Koenma, a truck, and the mouth of a cave. "The end is still near," Koenma says.

"Koenma!" Botan gasps.

"Activity in the pseudo-space has reached its stable period, so things quiet down, like the eye of a storm, giving us two hours until the final stage."

"What? I was told two days, you can't keep changing the ETA."

"It's not a subway," Koenma replies. "It's highly volatile."

"You left so urgently, without explaining. What happened in Spirit World?"

Koenma sighs. "I had to get Dad's permission to remove this in case of emergency." He gestures to his pacifier, and Botan gasps. I frown, wondering what that means. I'd always thought the pacifier was for decoration. What does it actually do?

"I'm going into that cave to catch up with Yusuke. You stay here, Botan, and wait for my signal."

"Wait, what signal, and what should I do?"

"If there's an earthquake in two hours, that means the Kekkai has been broken, and the tunnel is complete. If that happens, get out quick. Fly to Spirit World and inform my father."

"Yes, sir."

"Hey, wait a sec!" I shout, stepping out from behind my tree and walking toward them. "Let me come with you."

"Asaki!" Botan cries, grabbing one of my hands in hers. "You're okay."

"One hundred percent better," I reply, gritting my teeth. "Koenma, they're all down there, right? I'm going too."

Koenma looks at me for a long moment before shaking his head. "I can't let you do that."

"What the hell do you mean?" I snap.

"You were left behind for a reason, Asaki. Do you really think I'd let you join me, knowing that?"

"I would _think_ ," I growl, "that an extra fighter wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Asaki, if you come, you're going to be a distraction…"

"That's a really shitty reason to stop me from going."

Koenma sighs. "Look, I don't have time to argue with you. If things go awry, and all my strongest fighters are dead, then where will the world be?"

"If I'm dead either way, why does it matter?!" I shout.

"Asaki Anno, just because we work together and I consider us friends does not mean you can speak to me that way!" Koenma growls in reply. "You will stay here, and you will keep Botan safe. If you have a problem with that, you can leave."

I stare at him, dumbfounded. Even though I've made it this far, even though I've fought with my friends all this time, I can't go help them because this prince says so? That and...whatever reason Koenma mentioned. Whatever reason Kurama didn't bring me along in the first place. ... _waste of space_. I grit my teeth, flames kicking up around me as Koenma disappears from sight.

"Asaki, are you all right?" Botan asks, her voice soft.

"No, Botan. I'm not." My flames reach higher and higher, burning so hot I can barely stand it. Just when it feels like I'm about to sear the very flesh from my skin, it dies like it was never there, leaving me feeling very cold.

"Botan, do you think...I'm useless?"

"Useless?" She sounds thoroughly confused, and when I look at her, she shakes her head vehemently. "You saved Mitarai and I just earlier today when you took that shot for us. And you were invaluable during the Dark Tournament, healing everyone. I don't know if Keiko and I would have lasted when those Makai insects were attacking as well, what feels like ages ago. That's not to mention all the kindness and emotional support you've given everyone all this time. You're anything but useless."

"Then why do I keep getting left behind?"

Botan wrings her hands, her eyes very sad. "Because no one wants to lose you."

"What if I don't want to lose them either?" I cry. "I'm scared, and what, I just have to wait here and hope they can take care of things on their own?"

"That's what I have to do all the time," Botan replies, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "So many people I love are down in that cave, and all I can do is what I'm told to. I've gotten...used to it." She swallows hard, and I suddenly feel like a jackass. Here I am, complaining about myself when Botan always has to just wait.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I didn't ever think about how lonely you must be, watching from the sidelines."

"It's okay," she says. "I understand why you're upset, but...I'm glad you're here with me. I don't want to be alone just now."

"Me either," I tell her. She gives me a sad smile, wiping away her tears, and we settle down on the ground in front of the pickup truck, waiting for the end of the world.

…

At some point, Botan falls asleep at my side, so I let her lean against me, wishing I felt comfortable enough to sleep as well. However, I've got far too much pent up inside of me for something like that. Instead, I watch and wait. I couldn't say how much time passes before I finally feel a few familiar energy sources coming our way.

"Botan," I whisper, shaking her gently.

"Mm?" She sits up, rubbing her bleary eyes as Yana, Genkai, and Kaito with a small child in his arms, emerge from the cave. "Oh, thank goodness you're back!" Botan says, getting to her feet and running over to them. I follow suit at a slower pace.

"Give me a full report? How did it go?" Botan says when she stops in front of them.

"We made it halfway down," Yana replies, his expression steely. "No one on our side was hurt."

 _That's good._

"Urameshi and the others should have reached Sensui's hideout by this point," Kaito says, drawing attention back to him. I see Botan look down at the boy who seems to be barely alive.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she gasps, "Koenma's gone into the cave too!"

"Yes," Genkai says. "We know. We passed him on the way back up here."

"He had such a determined look on his face," Botan says, holding up her thumb and forefinger. "He even said he might remove his pacifier for this!"

"Wow," Genkai says. "Have things really gotten that bad?"

"Yes," Botan replies. She crouches down, saying, "So, tell me, Master Genkai. What really happens when Koenma takes away his pacifier?"

"Beats me."

I slap a hand over my face as the others all face fault. "Genkai," I say, "what kind of time frame do you think we're looking at?"

"I don't know," she replies, shaking her head. "All I can say is that we're just going to have to trust Yusuke and the others, sit back, and watch." She points these words at me, and I ball my hands into fists, looking away.

"Fine," I growl, turning and heading back toward the truck. I slump down by one of the tires, resting my head against the side, closing my eyes. After a little bit, I hear footsteps coming closer to me, and when I look up, it's to see Kaito with that child in his arms.

"Help me?" he asks, gesturing to the tailgate.

I get to my feet, nodding as I pull it down so he can climb into the bed. He carefully lays down the boy, as I ask, "So, who is he?"

"He is...was the Gamemaster."

"But he's just a kid," I reply, sickened. "What kind of monster tricks a child into something like this?"

"The kind who wants to kill everyone. What does one life matter in the face of the end of the world?" Kaito asks, looking over at me.

I sigh, tugging on my braid. "I know that. It was a stupid question." Pressing a hand to the boy's forehead, I frown. "So, what happened to him?"

"Kurama killed him."

So frank. So straightforward. Narrowing my eyes at Kaito, I say, "Ah."

"He wasn't given much of a choice." Kaito takes a breath before repeating, "What does one life matter in the face of the end of the world?"

What had seemed like an obvious observation the first time has become a chilling parallel. One life. Every one of us has one life, and we're all expendable if it'll save the lives of many. The only difference between us and Sensui is the intent. The ends justify the means.

"But, he's not dead," I say, frowning.

"Ask Koenma about that one," Kaito replies. "I'm still not entirely sure what he did, but he said Kurama didn't need the guilt of this life on his hands."

I nod, sighing. "It's going to be a long night, isn't it?"

"No longer than any other."

Narrowing my eyes, I get out of the truck bed to go stand with Botan again. Kaito is making me think about things I don't really want to right now.

Time passes, and the wind starts to pick up, riffling through the trees, blowing right through us. If it wasn't a mild spring day, it might have been cold.

"They've been down there forever!" Botan whines. "What's taking them so long?"

"Patience, Botan," Genkai says. "It's the end of the world. You can't just flip it off with a switch."

"I know," she says, looking downtrodden.

"We have to trust the weapons we've got and cross our fingers."

"Two teenage boys and two cranky demons," I say. "What could possibly go wrong?" Genkai gives me a wry smile, so I add, "Don't answer that."

The wind suddenly stops, as quickly as it came, and everything around us falls silent. Not even the crickets are making noise anymore, and that worries me.

"It's really quiet," Botan says, "almost eerily quiet. So, what do you think? Should we take that as a good omen or a bad one?"

Bad. Very bad. How many times, in books or movies, does the cessation of normal sounds bode well?

"Well, I would think the apocalypse would have to make a bit of noise," Kaito says.

"So, maybe they beat Sensui and resealed the hole to Demon World," Yana adds, Kaito affirming. They're surprisingly optimistic about this.

"No," Genkai says. "The hole's still open, wider than ever. It's dilating even faster than before."

"But how can you tell all of that for sure, Master Genkai?" Yana asks.

"From the smell. The Demon World has a very distinct odor, and it's growing stronger from that cave."

"The whole area's been smelling like that for a while, though," I tell her, frowning as Kaito and Yana attempt to sniff it out, failing miserably.

"If you focus on it," Genkai says, "you can tell it's gotten more pungent."

I sigh, trying to do just that. It doesn't smell any more disgusting, but it does coat the back of my throat, and I gag, plugging my nose for a few seconds.

"Genkai, is there any way you can smell how much longer it'll be until the tunnel is fully open?" Botan asks.

Genkai takes a deep breath, saying, "Less than ten minutes now."

That's not good. I ball my hands tightly into fists, clenched at my sides, fire licking at my skin. _Please. You have to be okay. All of you. I can't lose you like this, here, doing nothing to help you._

"I hope Koenma can make it there in time with his pacifier," Botan whispers, clasping her hands in front of her face.

"He left a while ago," I tell her. "He'll make it." She looks at me with worried eyes, and I do my best to give her a reassuring look. After a second or so, she nods, smiling.

"Right. Everything is going to be okay." Even as these words leave her mouth, the ground starts to shake beneath our feet. A massive amount of spiritual energy fades away, and I have to suppress a shiver.

"What's that?" Botan gasps.

"Yusuke's spirit gun. There's no mistakin' it. Must have fired the big one," Genkai says.

"You think it was enough to have defeated Sensui?" Botan asks.

"I'd like to say so," she replies. "A blast like that was enough to cut down Toguro at top strength, but Sensui's energy still feels the same, and after a shot like that, Yusuke will be as useful as a toy pistol."

"That's a comforting thought," I reply, sparks at the tips of my fingers.

"You're going to need to calm down," Genkai tells me, narrowing her eyes. "There's no sense in getting agitated just yet. We don't know that things have gone wrong."

"We don't know that they're going right either," I tell her.

"Just have faith."

Whatever that means.

…

The next time the world starts shaking, it doesn't stop.

"Whoa, what's that!" Botan cries.

"I think that would be an earthquake!" Kaito replies, his voice shaky. "A 5.7, roughly." _Thank you, human seismometer._

"Koenma, is this...is this the signal?" Botan gasps. Signal...that's right. Koenma had mentioned Botan would need to act if an earthquake hit. I take a step back from her as she hops onto her oar and takes off into the sky.

"Where's she rushing off to?" Kaito asks.

"Spirit World, I guess," Genkai replies. "That's where King Yama is, and he'll be wanting to hear the latest dirt."

"Wait," Yana says, "did you say King Yama?"

"Then he exists?" Kaito asks. "I thought he was just a fairy tale."

"This isn't the time for stupid questions," Genkai replies. "Something much more important is going on down there."

"What is happening, since you mentioned it?" Yana asks.

"Not sure, boys, but it's not the sort of thing you'd bring a date to."

"Depends on what you're into," I reply, earning a dirty look from Genkai.

"Save your jokes for the hordes of demons," she grunts. "We can only hope that blast of energy doesn't mean the tunnel is open."

"Why do I feel like we're not going to be so lucky?" I ask.

"Because you're an incredibly negative person?" Kaito asks.

"You know what, Kaito-" Before I can finish, a chill trips down my spine, and I wrap my arms around myself as Genkai cries out, falling to her hands and knees.

"Are you okay?" Yana asks her as she gets back to her feet.

"Hope you're studying, boys," Genkai grumbles. "If you couldn't sense that, you need to get yourself some wind chimes."

"So, that was Urameshi's energy," Kaito says.

"Not just his," I reply, rubbing my arms with my hands, still crossed over my chest.

"It's Yusuke's, Sensui's, and Kuwabara's, all mixed into one." She grits her teeth as she says, "And someone's about to pop."

The air is tense. It's so tense I can barely breathe, and I can't stop the trembling that has started in my fingers and made its way to my toes. Suddenly, a feeling like ice trips through my veins, and I cover my mouth with my hands, swallowing hard. It's...it's gone.

Genkai falls to her knees as the sky around us grows dark. "No," she whispers, sounding broken.

"What now, Master Genkai?" Yana asks.

"I felt that wind," Kaito adds.

"Please," Genkai begs, "is this why I came back? More pain?" She stumbles to her feet as one of the fence railings outside of the cave falls, landing crooked, like a broken cross.

"Creepy," Kaito whispers.

I take a step forward, pressing a hand to Genkai's shoulder. She looks up at me, fear and sadness in her eyes. "Genkai," I mumble, my heart in my throat. "It's not…."

She takes my hand, squeezing it before looking away, her eyes back on the tunnel.

No. No, no, no, no. I refuse to believe Yusuke is…. Not like this. Please. All we can do is wait. If he's really gone...if the others can't make it...I'm going to be up to bat, and I'm not so sure I'm ready for that. Regardless, if I lose everyone I love, what's the point in surviving this fight anyway?

…

A gust of wind ruffles my hair, but I barely feel it as Botan touches down, Shizuru and Keiko in tow. Genkai releases my hand, turning to them, a dark look in her eyes.

"Welcome back," she tells Botan.

"I'm sorry," she gasps, looking tired. "The SDF should be with them now. Everything will be okay."

I open my mouth to argue when a sudden wave of demon energy nearly bowls me over. Stumbling, I catch myself on my hands and knees, looking up at Genkai with wide eyes. "Is that…?"

"What the hell is that numbskull up to now?" she asks, her tone agitated. However, I can see it. The light in her eyes. _He's okay. Thank goodness._

"What is it?" Keiko asks. "What's been going on?"

"A whole lot of fighting," I reply, smiling as I wipe the tears from my eyes. "And hopefully, at least a little bit of winning."

…

I'm so tired of waiting, not knowing what's going on. I start counting by sevens just to pass the time, losing track after a while and starting over again.

A sound behind me makes me turn to see the kid in the bed of the pickup sitting up, looking around. "Huh?" he mumbles.

"Have a nice nap, kid?" Genkai asks. She has migrated to the top of the truck, sitting on the cabin.

"I don't get it. Why?" he asks in return.

"Koenma brought you back to life," Genkai tells him. "As for why, I couldn't say."

He looks at her for a moment before pulling a knee to his chest. "Maybe I've been wrong." He sniffles, burying his face in his knee.

Genkai sighs, looking away from the kid and toward the cave. "The battle must be over by now."

"I certainly hope you're right," Botan replies. "Please, boys. Hurry back to us."

…

Time seems endless. I would bet Kaito anything this night had an extra hour in it, despite what he said earlier. When four figures step out of the cave and into the light of the moon, my eyes rake over them, my heart in my throat. Each one of them looks absolutely awful, clothing tattered, bloodied and wounded. Their power levels feel so weak except for...Yusuke? I stare at him, eyes wide. He's suddenly got this crazy long hair, and he's pulsing with demonic energy. What the hell?

"Yeah!" Botan cheers. "They're all alive!" As they get closer, Botan frowns. "Eugh. Who's the rocker?"

"I don't know," Kaito says, adjusting his glasses.

"Yusuke!" Keiko cries, rushing past us and into his arms.

"That's really him?" Mitarai asks. He'd made his way back to us shortly after Botan arrived with little to say other than that the fighting had continued on.

"I'll be damned," Genkai says, shaking her head.

"Oh, Yusuke!" Botan cries. "Always stopping my heart." She starts to run over, and the rest of us follow suit. I'm careful to keep my eyes on Yusuke, not ready to deal with the massive amount of emotions I've been fighting today. "What happened? I'm having flashbacks of Rando."

"Man, I would kill to have my hair grow that fast," Yana says.

"Those marks...are they tribal incantations?" Kaito asks.

"Is this a press conference? Give me a break, like I know how this happened," Yusuke replies, his levity easing my heart just a little. "Hey, give me a second guys. I've got to take care of something."

At his words, more people step out of the cave, these men wearing SDF uniforms. I instinctively tense, as the guys turn to face them.

"It appears not everyone sees this case as resolved," Kurama says, his voice making my head hurt.

"Koenma!" one of the men says, "You know Spirit World won't overlook this treason."

"Treason!" Kuwabara shouts. "

"You have disobeyed my orders, delivered directly from your father to erase that boy. You let the Mazoku emerge, fully knowing what that could bring. You take responsibility and come with us."

"Yes, I'm no fool," Koenma says. "I realized what the consequences were."

A beat falls in silence before Yusuke shouts, "You stupid tools!"

The SDF all recoil from his words, one of them saying, "Brace yourselves." This is Yusuke we're talking about. I can tell he's much stronger, but the only reason to be afraid of him is if you intend on pissing him off. Actually, too late.

"Think you can hide behind your uniforms and push decent people around? Look, I don't start fights with the defenseless, but you're starting to piss me off, and that's a whole different thing. And since you're all new here, I'll give you a tip. Threatening the guy who helped save us will definitely piss me off. Koenma did what he could to help, and if getting rid of you is what it takes to protect him, I'll kill you all, one by one."

 _I love this attitude on Yusuke. So much_.

The SDF recoil once more, terror on their faces. Just how powerful is Yusuke now? If he's got demon in him, on top of his old power, he must really be something else.

"I'd love to accept the challenge," the leader says, "but sealing this tunnel takes precedence." Coward."I can personally assure you, this isn't over." He turns away from us, snapping, "Soldiers!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" they reply in unison, each one turning into a ball of energy and flying into the cave.

Once they're all gone, Yusuke turns to Koenma, saying, "Sorry. Was that a little much?"

"Not at all, Yusuke," Koenma replies, smiling. "Took the words right from my mouth."

The sun begins to crest the horizon, and we all instinctively turn toward it, in desperate need of some light after such a long night.

"I missed that sun," Yusuke says.

"Yeah," Kuwabara adds.

"Matter of fact, I think I'll find a hammock." Yusuke stretches, walking toward the truck. We all start to follow suit, and I gravitate toward Kuwabara, wanting to check on a passed out Hiei.

"So, Urameshi," Kuwabara starts, "you gonna look like that from now on?"

"Good question," he replies. "Hell, I don't know." Yusuke stops, turning to look at Keiko who is lagging behind. "Hey, if you really love that cave so much, we can swing by later."

"I'm coming!" she says, running to catch up. She stays close to Yusuke, something it brings me joy to see.

As we all hop in the bed of the truck, I keep one hand on Kuwabara and the other on Hiei, focusing my healing energy on them. I refuse to look at Kurama, even though I can feel his gaze boring into my back. Meanwhile, Yusuke tells us the story of what happened down in that cave, leaning on Keiko as he does.

He talks about meeting Sensui and two of his other men, how one had been possessed by Elder Toguro and how Kurama had dispatched the disgusting demon. Normally, that would have brought me a sick sort of pleasure, but I'm trying to suppress all feeling, lest I lost control of my rage. When he talks about dying again, I grip Kuwabara's shirtsleeve more tightly, but Kuwabara doesn't seem to care. The knowledge that Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama fought and lost to Sensui is terrifying, and I realize Koenma was right. I would have been dead weight down there.

The story about Yusuke waking up, his demonic atavism pulling through in the end is where he wraps up, and I sigh. Another demon/human hybrid. Our gang has one of every variant possible. What luck.

"Thanks, Asaki," Kuwabara says, once the story is over. "For the healing."

"Mm," I reply, nodding my head.

"How did you get your cuffs off, by the way?"

"I figured it out," I tell him, gritting my teeth.

"Oh, uh, cool."

I think he's finally caught on that I don't want to talk right now because he doesn't ask anything more. Still, I can feel eyes on me, nonstop. I wish the fox would just leave me alone.

The truck stops at Yusuke's house first, and Keiko helps him inside, wishing us a good night. Next, we reach my apartment, and I climb out, looking up at Kuwabara.

"Pass me Hiei."

"You need some help?" he asks me.

"Mm-mm," I reply. "You just get some rest. I think I can take care of one sleeping fire demon." I give Kuwabara the best smile I can manage, and he helps me settle Hiei on my back.

"Goodbye, everyone," I say, turning and heading into my house without another word. All the while, I can feel Kurama's eyes boring into me, like daggers piercing my skin.

...

There's a loud knock at my door, and I grimace, rolling over in bed. "Five more minutes." The knock gets louder and harder, making me jump. "All right, I'm coming." Getting out of bed, I stumble to the door, not even caring how I look. I've only had three hours of sleep in the past twenty-four, and I'm so not up for company.

When I yank the door open, I find myself face-to-face with my father. Staring up at him, I take a step back, surprised. "What are you-"

"Come with me."

On a list of things I don't want to do right now. Swallowing hard, I do as he says, my skin feeling prickly, my everything on edge. We walk to a limo, getting in the back, and the driver starts to take us who knows where.

After an eternity of silence, my father finally speaks, and it's like getting punched in the gut. "As I suspected. Hanging around with those _people_ only causes trouble."

He's not wrong. Since the first day I got myself involved with Yusuke and Koenma, there's been nothing but trouble. First with the Makai insects, and then trying to rescue Yukina. The Dark Tournament and all of the hell I endured there. And finally, this mess with Sensui. I can understand why he doesn't like the people I've gotten myself involved with.

"I should not have to tell you that the people you associate with and their actions affect me," he tells me, and I nod. "The rumors flying around Spirit World are that your friend Urameshi and that unruly prince have been stirring up trouble. I do not want you caught up in that. I've been working too hard for too long to have my plans jeopardized by my foolishly errant daughter."

"Yes, sir," I reply as the limo stops outside the main mansion, as I'd suspected it would.

My father gets out of the vehicle, and I do the same, following him into the building. "I expect more from you," he says as we walk. "However, disappointment after disappointment have come my way because of your actions. If you intend on staying in Living World as you are, then you have two options." He stops outside a door that, to my knowledge, has always just been an empty room, used for storage. "The first is to fly far below the radar. The second is to stand out in ways that will not shame yourself or our family name."

Turning to face me, he crosses his arms. "I don't care which you choose, but know that if you decide on neither, I will be coming for you. And this time, not even your delinquent friends will be capable of dragging you back. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

A solid minute of silence follows my words, leaving them hanging in the air. This isn't my usual father. Choices? Ha. Before all of this began, the only choice I could make was whether I wanted to dance with a Prime Minister or a King. Even then, I always knew I'd have to get to both eventually. I wonder what's changed, why I'm being given a choice in my own life. Really...maybe my misadventures are worth something after all if they've given me this chance. I just have to not squander it.

Father opens the door he's been standing in front of, and I follow, stepping into a dark room. When he flicks on the light, my jaw drops at the sight before me.

Papers. Papers and diagrams cover every available space. In the middle of the room are maps of all three worlds, with large portions shaded in or circled. As I take a few steps forward, I look around, trying to absorb a tenth of the information here. This is...this is….

"Amazing," I gasp, pressing a hand against one of the maps. "Father, how did you…?"

"These are the plans I've been working on for the past three hundred years," he says, coming to stand beside me.

"This is insane," I tell him. Three hundred years. Over the course of three hundred years, he's managed to purchase or at least get his hands in a little over a third of each of the three worlds. His stake in Spirit World is approaching half, and I wonder if Koenma has any idea. I'm sure King Enma does, and that can't be a comforting thought.

"Every step I make, every decision has been to further this," he says. "I intend to buy King Enma out of Spirit World."

"What?" I gasp, eyes wide. He narrows his eyes, and I swallow hard. "S-sorry. What do you mean? Why?"

"Enma has been squandering his power. Over the years, he's grown lazy and impotent. He has no problem scapegoating and refuses to take responsibility for his mistakes. It disgusts me."

That's news to me, although I've never really cared about how Spirit World was run. I never thought my father did either. Taking a moment to parse through his words, I catch his meaning. My father is a businessman, first and foremost. On the rare occasion when he's made a mistake as far as his corporation is concerned, he's always owned up to it and made sure remunerations are paid accordingly. His problem isn't that King Enma is hurting people. It's that he's not running things well and admitting where he's wrong.

"I tell you this so that you understand what's at stake," he says, turning to face me. "This project has been underway for centuries, and I intend to continue to pursue it. Do not make me regret permitting you the freedoms you seek."

"I won't," I say, bowing my head. This is absolutely terrifying, this project of his, and yet, it's also thrilling. He's been doing this for so long….

"Do not disclose what you see here to anyone else," he says. "This is for your and my eyes only, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," I reply, nodding.

"You may look around more if you so wish. When you've finished, you'll find an escort in the foyer." With that, he makes his way to the door.

"Father?" I say, turning to face him. He looks my way, his hand on the doorknob. "Thank you." I bow again, and he leaves without another word.

 _You crafty piece of shit_.Even as I think it, I find myself smiling just a little. I always knew my father was ambitious, but this is insane. The amount of damage he could do if he so wished….

I don't know how long I spend in there, pouring over every document, reading and absorbing as much knowledge as I can. It's been ages since I've done work like this, but it gets my pulse racing and clears my head. What would Koenma think if he knew? I'm sure he would panic. While it might be a good idea to warn him, my father has made himself and his threats quite clear. My own freedom is more important to me than something that may or may not cause a problem in the future.

Leaving the room, I make sure to close the door securely before making my way to the foyer. It's dark out, which means I whiled away several hours admiring my father's handiwork. Suddenly, I feel rather tired, the weight of the past few days catching up to me. All I want is to go home and sleep.

As my father had said, there are a few men waiting to escort me home. Rather than fight it, I just get in the car, letting them drive me to my apartment. I push open the door, stepping over the threshold to see the one person I wanted to cross paths with the least in all three worlds: Kurama.

"What are you doing in my house?" I growl, suddenly incredibly irritated. I don't need this. I'm running on very little sleep, very high emotions, and very low patience. Most of those things were caused by this ass in front of me.

"I thought we could talk, but when I got here, I found you gone."

"Yeah, I do that sometimes," I reply. "Please, leave."

"Asaki." Kurama gets to his feet, and I take a step back.

"Leave, Kurama."

"Can we-"

"I said leave!" I scream, fire flying off of me and landing on every available surface.

Kurama hesitates, his eyes going wide. After a long moment, he lets out a sigh, pulling the key I gave him from his pocket and setting it on the table in front of the couch. Without looking my way, he leaves as well.

Once he's gone, I scream as loudly as I can, letting fire flow from every inch of my skin. It wants to consume, to destroy, and part of me wants to let it. However, I have enough self-control left to keep it from doing that, instead slowly pulling it back in and in until the only traces that remain are the sparks dancing across my skin. Soon, those too are gone.

The sound of footsteps makes me start, and I look over to see Hiei approaching, a disdainful look on his face and two packs of ramen noodles in his hands. He's got bandages on his arms and a few band aids on his face, but other than that, he looks much better than last night. "Are you done with your tantrum?" he asks.

I nod, suddenly feeling very stupid and very small. "Sorry."

"For some reason, I thought you were better than this," he replies.

"Mm."

He hands me a ramen packet, opening his own and beginning to eat the noodles raw. I watch for a moment before doing the same. The first crunch is like eating through overly stale bread, but after a few more bites, I start to see why Hiei does this. Not that I'll ever do it again. For now, however, we stand in the middle of my living room, eating raw, instant ramen.

* * *

A/N: I've been so neglectful of this story because I just DID NOT want to write this chapter. At all. Not even a little. I'm finally done with it, and I'm over the moon. I'm so excited that I can move on with the rest of the story! There's only one more canon arc, a few little arcs of my own I want to do, and then it'll be over. Isn't that a crazy thought?

My favorite part of this chapter is getting to reveal what Asaki's dad is up to, just a bit. That man scares me, but I'm learning to like him as I write him more. Oh, and the ramen eating. That just makes me happy. Don't eat raw ramen, just btw. Not a good habit to be in.

Also, once this arc is done (a chapter or two from now, I think), I'm going to throw in a couple of side stories (three of them over two weeks). One was a request from a reader, and the other two are ones I just felt like doing for fun. I hope you guys enjoy them too!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to the people who reviewed 47 and 48, since I didn't thank you guys when you reviewed last time: **vodka-and-tea, YukinaBlueRose, bluerose921, Francesca, Yakitori-Chan, and Lestatsgirl15.**


	50. Maximum Effort

I wake the next morning feeling more agitated than when I went to sleep. Something tells me today is going to be a long day. Skipping school would be the easy way out, but...I don't want to run. The anger I feel is never going to go away if I don't face it properly. Besides, if I miss any more school, I'll probably be in trouble.

Suddenly, my hands feel warm, and I realize I've been balling them so tightly into fists that the nails bit into my palms, drawing blood. Sighing, I heal the wounds and head to the bathroom to wash off the blood. Today is going to suck so much. Gritting my teeth, I have to hold down the flame in the pit of my stomach that's been growing all morning.

Once lunchtime rolls around, Yusuke, Keiko, and Kuwabara all come find me on the roof.

"Hey, how ya feeling?" Yusuke says to me, smiling. "You look worse than I did yesterday."

"Thanks," I drawl, shaking my head. "My father came to pick me up. It was kind of a long day."

"Whoa, no shit?"

"Yusuke, do you have to say it like that?" Keiko admonishes, shaking her head at him. "I'm just so relieved that you're okay, Asaki."

"Mm. Me too," I reply, smiling a little.

"It's too bad Urameshi's lost all that hair," Kuwabara says, eyeing his friend. "I think it would have been funny to see the teacher's faces."

"Seriously!" Yusuke whines, grinning.

This conversation carries on between the two of them for the rest of lunch, Keiko and I just listening. At some point, I catch her staring at me, and when I tilt my head in question, she gives me a sad smile before turning her attention back to the boys. Whether that smile was for me or for herself, I don't know.

When school lets out, he's waiting for me, as I'd expected. Kurama steps forward as I leave the building, but I ignore him and keep walking.

"Asaki-"

"Don't talk to me." The sight of him standing there makes me angry and sad and confused all at once, and I don't like it.

"Please, Asaki, wait." He reaches for me, and I swing at him, making him jump back, surprised.

"I said don't talk to me."

"Please, let me explain."

"What is there to explain?" I growl, stopping to look at him. _Just leave. You're going to say something stupid if you stay._ "You lied to me, left me behind, and saved the world on your own. I'm really glad you didn't need me. I guess Genkai was right the first time; I really am just a waste of space. I wouldn't have wanted me along either"

"Asaki, that's not why I left you behind." Those three words piss me off more than anything else. _Left you behind_. I snort derisively, pushing past him, but he grabs my wrist, yanking me to a halt.

"Let...me...go." I glare at the ground, frozen in place. _Are you done with your tantrum?_

"Asaki-"

"I said let me go!" I scream, faking a swing at him. He moves back, as I'd hoped, and I bring my hand around to the wrist he's holding, settling my fingers just beneath his and burning as hot as I can. I feel my skin scorching under my touch.

It takes him only a second to realize what I'm doing, and he releases my hand, gasping. "Asaki!"

I leap back as Yusuke and Kuwabara find their way to us. "Hey, what's going on?" Yusuke asks, looking concerned.

"Nothing," I bark, turning and heading the other way, the fire in my stomach spreading to burn just beneath my skin.

"Hey, calm down," he says, reaching to touch me.

"If you put a hand on me, I'll sear your flesh from your bones," I snarl.

He backs off, eyes wide. "Who pissed in your lunch?"

Without a single look behind me, I storm off, seething.

…

It's early evening when he finds me, sitting by the river. I'd stood in the shallows to cool off and heat-dried my clothes, so the urge to burn has since left me, but when he sits beside me, I feel it inch back up again. _Stupid fox._

"It's a nice day," he says after a while. "Spring has always been my favorite season."

"I'm sure."

"Asaki, I know you're mad at me-"

"Pissed, thank you."

"-and I want to apologize."

"No, thank you."

"Unfortunately, I'm not giving you a choice." I look over at him, eyes burning only to be cowed slightly by the fire in his own. Turning away, I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my chin on them.

"I'm not sorry that I tricked you." A string of vile profanities runs through my mind. "I am sorry that I hurt you, however."

"You _lied to me_!" I snarl. "I trusted you more than I've ever trusted anyone, and you knew it. You took advantage of that, and you broke it." I kick up a small flame in my hands, focusing on it to prevent myself from crying.

"I know. Asaki, I'm not a good person. I hurt people all the time with my words and actions. I used to make a living from it. However, I cannot begin to express my regret for what I've done to you."

I tuck my face into my knees, not wanting to hear this. Running is my M.O., but if we're ever going to get past this moment, if my friendship with Kurama is more important than being angry at him, I've got to stick it out, here and now.

"It might be poor comfort, but if you're willing to listen, I'd like to explain myself."

"I'm not going anywhere," I grunt. "Say whatever you want."

He sighs, but I keep my face resolutely down in my knees. If he doesn't want to deal with my attitude, he can be the one who leaves. That thought is enough to make me want to jump in the river again lest I burn the entire riverbank.

"After seeing you so hurt from getting kidnapped by Mimic, I was afraid. More afraid than I've been in years. You had spirit cuffs that we couldn't take off, and so you had to heal the conventional way, even with a bit of help from Botan. You were in no state to fight. When we found you after Sensui attacked, you were so hurt, and I could not stand the idea of putting you in more danger.

"I thought I had an idea of how difficult the battle with Sensui would be, and I couldn't bear you going into that with us. While my methods were underhanded, I only wanted to keep you safe, and I stand by that."

"Safe?" I look up at him, laughing bitterly. "Don't talk to me about safe, you self-centered ass! Do you know how worried I was? I woke up by myself, perfectly healed and prepared to fight, and you knew that. Still, you left me. I had to hunt you guys down, and when I did, Koenma told me I had to wait outside.

"I just had to sit there, out of my head with anger and worry. When Genkai returned with that kid, I knew things were going wrong, but there was nothing I could do but wait! And then the ground started shaking like the world was ending, and I just felt so helpless. It was like…."

My voice trails off, and my mind moves toward dark rooms and the glint of knives. "It was like I was back home again." I lower my legs so that they're stretched out in front of me, raising my hands, trying to focus on their lines and not think about the scars I should rightfully have.

"When you guys came out of that cave, I was so relieved and angry. I wanted to tackle you and hit you at the same time. I still want to." I see him move out of the corner of my eye, his hand reaching toward mine, but I ball mine into fists, saying, "Please, don't." If he touches me now, I might cave in. I might forgive him, and I haven't finished just yet.

"I don't know what to do, Kurama. I'm really glad you guys didn't need me. If you hadn't come back, I would have blamed myself." My voice breaks on the last word, and I swallow hard, turning to look him in the eyes. The sorrow there almost breaks my heart.

"If you _ever_ do that to me again, if you ever put me through that much pain again, we're done. Okay?"

He nods, and I can tell he believes me. "I understand, Asaki."

"Good." I let my hands fall into my lap, sighing. "And you have to promise me two things." I hold up two fingers. "First of all, talk to me. I am perfectly capable of handling myself, and I know what I can and can't do. I don't need you making decisions for me."

"All right, Asaki. I promise."

"Second is that you don't leave me behind anymore. Or, if you have to, you tell me about it. I don't want you disappearing, leaving me wondering where you are or if you'll even return." I dig a hand into the base of my braid, feeling stupid for that one, but it's important.

It takes him longer to respond this time, and I can tell he's thinking it over, making sure it's a promise he can keep. After a few beats, he links our pinkies, saying, "I promise."

"Good." I let out a sigh of relief. It would be stupid of me to just trust him again after this, so I'll have to take his promises with a grain of salt. How easy would it be to just fall right back into the same routine?

Taking a deep breath, I let it out, shuddering as I whisper, "I was so scared." Tears start streaming from my eyes, and I cry, sobs wrenching from my throat that I'd been suppressing since I woke up alone only a few days ago.

Kurama pulls me into his arms, and I dig my hands into his shirt, burying my face in his shoulder as I let out everything that I've been feeling, all the sadness and anger, all the fear of being left alone again after all this time. I don't want to feel like that ever again.

This is the problem with letting people get close to you. You let them into your heart and you give them the chance to hurt you. But, as he holds me, letting me stay by his side, I know that I wouldn't want it any other way.

When the sobs subside, I headbutt him as hard as I can in the shoulder. He grunts, using his hands to brace himself so he doesn't fall over before tugging on my braid.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as I look down at the river.

"Asaki," he says, drawing my attention back to him. "I would do anything you asked of me to show how sorry I am for hurting you." The look in his eyes has me convinced, and I scratch my head, sighing yet again. This guy is bad for my heart.

"Be my pillow," I grunt at him, closing my eyes and leaning over, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Of course," he whispers, sending a shiver down my spine. _Stupid fox_. After a minute or so, his hand finds mine, our fingers interlacing, and we sit like this, even as the sun goes down. It's getting dark, but I feel like I could stay here with Kurama forever.

I'm about to doze off when Kurama slides his hand from mine, his fingers encircling my wrist. He raises it up, pressing his lips against the spot where I'd burned myself earlier today. My whole body warms at his touch, and after a moment, he stiffens like he's only just realized what he's doing.

He drops my wrist, and I sit up, staring wide-eyed at him.

"S-sorry," he says.

"I-i-it's fine," I stammer, sounding incredibly stupid. I get to my feet, my face burning hot. "I, uh, I should go."

He gets up as well, looking concerned. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"N-no, I'm all right." I wring my hands for a moment, my brain racing a mile a minute. "I-I'll see you later."

"Good night, Asaki."

With that, I run the whole way home, my head reeling. Kurama kissed me. I can still feel his hand against my arm, his lips brushing my skin, so gently. What the hell was that?! Judging by his own reaction, he hadn't meant to do that. Does that make it better or worse?

I'm supposed to still be mad at him, not freaking out over the meaning of what he does. Every second of the time I spend with him has me over-analyzing everything, doesn't it? I'm such a mess.

The last time something like that happened, it was me kissing his hand at the Dark Tournament, and I kissed his neck before that. Is this karma for being so forward? Am I being punished? Not that I'm complaining. Just...confused.

When I finally get home, I open the door to find Hiei cooking. The smell of burning mercifully wipes my mind clean of Kurama.

"What-"

"Shut up!" the demon grunts.

Sighing, I help him finish up what he's making, and we eat. Afterward, he gestures to some letters on the couch.

"Found those in your mailbox. They look important."

"Thanks," I say, getting to my feet and taking our dirty dishes to the sink. "And thanks for dinner."

"Whatever." He gets up, heading straight into his room, and I sigh.

"Maybe he'll be able to take gratitude someday." With that, I walk over to the letters, wondering what they could be.

…

I wake up, drenched in sweat and immediately go into the kitchen, wrenching open a drawer next to where I keep the silverware. Inside, the knives glint at me. I'd had Hiei move them after I'd cut myself and Kurama got mad at me.

I'd dreamt about Hiei and Hide fighting with axes, for some reason, but it was enough to scare me senseless. Staring down at the knives in this drawer, I sigh. I'm not tired. I'm not emotionally wrecked. They're just knives. Grabbing one, I glare at it, relieved that I don't lose my cool. _Take that, Hide!_

Kurama would be proud of me. Speaking of Kurama…. I head back into my room, get dressed for school, and dash out the door, the letters from yesterday tucked in my bag. Entrance exam results. I'm too afraid to look at them alone. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. It has nothing to do with wanting to share the good-or bad-news with the guy I love.

I trip, skinning my hands as I catch myself, thoughts of his lips on my skin making me blush red. His genuine repentance yesterday and my reaction to it is enough for me to know my feelings haven't changed. Add to that how nice it felt to have him touching me, and I'm feeling pathetic and weird and so many other things.

What do I do? How do I face him? _The same as always, you moron_ , a voice in my head says. _You make a good point_ , I reply.

"Well, damn." I stop walking, shaking my head and laughing. "Talking to myself and responding." Send help.

...

The moment school lets out, I jump out of my chair, dashing out of the building and toward Meiou. It's really not that long of a run, especially not at full sprint, but if feels like it takes ages. As I step into the building, I try to sense Kurama out, hoping he's still here.

"Asaki!" I turn to find Shota, one of the guys from the club I hung out with on Valentine's Day.

"Hi, Shota," I say, smiling.

"What brings you here today? Looking for Shuichi?"

"Mm-hm." I pull the three envelopes with my exam results out, showing him they're still sealed. "I'm too chicken to open these on my own, so I thought I'd share them with him."

"Sounds good. I'll take you to his classroom, that way no one tries to stop you since you're not from this school."

"Appreciated." We walk together down the halls, Shota asking me about how long I've been friends with Shuichi. The standard stuff.

When we finally stop outside a classroom door, I start feeling a little nervous. After everything that happened yesterday, I don't really know how I should face him. Still, my first thought when I got these letters was that I wanted to share the results with him. That means something.

Shota pulls open the door, stepping inside. "Shuichi!" he shouts, and I poke my head in behind him.

"Yes?" that stupid voice I know so well asks.

"Asaki wants to see you. She's got good news." Shota pushes me inside, and the remaining students in the class all turn to stare at me. I don't blame them. Not only am I a junior high student, I'm also looking for Kurama, someone clearly respected by most of his classmates if all those mobbing girls and that quiz club were any indication.

"You don't know it's good news," I grumble.

"Please. Don't forget about me when you start here, okay? I want to see you in red." He tosses me a wink before walking out the door.

Sighing, I turn around to find Kurama making his way over to me. "Is everything all right?" he asks.

"I hope so," I reply, waving the letters at him.

He takes them, frowning. "You haven't opened them yet."

"I, uh, was a bit afraid to. Besides, I wanted you to be there when I got the results."

Smiling softly, he hands them back to me. "All right. Let's go to the library." The two of us leave his class together, and I find myself bouncing instead of walking down the halls.

"I probably could have handled that better," I say. "Your classmates are likely dying from curiosity right now."

"I think they'll live," he replies. "They're far too nosy in my business for their own good."

"That sounds a little threatening. Yoko Kurama strikes again?"

"Funny."

"Sorry," I say, smiling. "I'm just a lot nervous." About more than just the results. This feels so natural, just talking with him like before. Maybe it'll be okay this time. Maybe...he'll keep his promise and not leave me alone again.

He shakes his head. "For no reason. I'm certain you did fine."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

When we get to the library, we settle into a corner, sitting on the floor, so close we're nearly touching, not that I mind. An image of Kurama's lips on my skin blares through my head, and I blush, focusing on the letters in hand.

"Okay, easiest one first," I mumble. "If I didn't get in here, I might just go live in a hole somewhere." Kurama raises an eyebrow at me, and I shrug. "Come on, it's Gai Tech. It's the high school associated with Sarayashiki; the test wasn't exactly rocket science." I rip the letter open, reading it over and smiling.

"I take it your hole plan is going to be postponed?"

"Yes," I chirp, overjoyed. "All right, Dai-ichi or Meiou next?" I stare at the two, frowning. Kurama passes me the one for Dai-ichi School for Girls, and I give him a wry smile. "All right." I open this one slowly, gingerly pulling out the letter inside. "Thank goodness," I whisper.

"Good news. At least you won't have to worry about young men stuffing your locker with love letters that way."

"You're unbearably cheeky," I tell him. "I can just open this last one on my own." Holding up Meiou's letter, I stick my tongue out at him. His response is to snatch it out of my hands. "Hey!"

"Shh," he says. "We're in a library."

I stare, eyes wide. "You're a jerk."

"Thank you." He opens the letter, his face falling as he reads it over.

"Kurama...what does it say?"

He sighs. "I'm sorry, Asaki."

Oh. My heart falls, and it's at that moment I realize just how much I'd been looking forward to the idea of going to the same school as Kurama. I sigh, reaching for the letter. He passes it to me, and I read it over, looking up at him.

"You absolute jerk!" I hiss, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" he says, grinning. "Is violence really necessary?"

"I should do more than just that," I tell him. "I can't believe you. Just for that, I'm going to ignore this one." I drop my acceptance letter from Meiou on the ground, wiping my hands together like I'm trying to clean them.

"Congratulations, Asaki." He smiles so warmly that all my irritation, fake or otherwise, just melts away. "Whichever school you choose, they'll be more than lucky to have you."

"Thanks," I reply, blushing. "I'm so happy to have choices, but now I don't know what to do. Keiko made it into Dai-ichi and Kuwabara got into Gai Tech. Meiou and Dai-ichi are really good schools, too. How the heck do I choose?"

"Well, I'd say both of those schools have about an equal reputation for academic excellence. Either one would look fine on a resume or a college application."

"I know," I reply. I pull my braid over my shoulder, yanking hard on the end. "How did you choose?"

"Russian roulette." I stare at him, and he laughs. "I'm kidding. Meiou was the only school I applied to because it was the best in my eyes."

"So simple," I say, leaning my head against the wall behind me.

"Well, I already know where I'd like to have you." Looking over at him, my stomach flips at the intensity of his expression. Warmth pools in my middle at how serious and focused his gaze is. "I would hate for that to make this choice harder for you, however."

"I-it doesn't," I stutter, feeling stupid. "Really, it's good to know. Sometimes, I think you just put up with me, you know?"

He shakes his head. "I hope you're not being serious."

"After what happened yesterday and the day before, what makes you think I'm not?" I tell him.

Sighing, he takes both of my hands in his. "Asaki Anno." I don't know that he's ever said my full name, and it gives me chills. "Nothing would make me happier at this point in time than if you were to choose Meiou and become my _kohai_."

Oh, for the love of all things. I take my hands from his, pulling my knees to my chest and burying my face in them. "I hate you," I mumble.

"In the end," he says, ignoring my comment, "I know you'll make the decision that's best for you and that you'll be happy regardless."

I grunt, leaning over so that our shoulders are touching. We sit like that in silence for a while, nothing to break it save the rustling of pages and the sound of our breathing.

…

About a week later, I step out of the principal's office of my new school, uniform in hand. Apparently, having the daughter of Taro Anno at this school is an exciting idea that grants me an audience with the principal himself. After being told my entrance exam scores were among the best they'd ever seen, I feel a little more at ease. My acceptance here was mostly on my own merit.

Fingering the collar of the uniform's top, I sigh. No more sailor outfit for me. It's weird, but in the short time I've been a student in Living World, I've grown rather attached to my crappy little school and its uniform.

I spin in place, wondering what I should do now. I kind of want to try it on, but maybe I should wait until I'm home to do that. "What to do?"

"Talking to yourself in the hallway?" I jump, turning to see Kurama standing before me, smiling.

"Yes," I reply. "What are you doing here?"

"The principal informed me, yesterday, that a new student would be stopping by today and asked that I show her around."

"Excellent," I deadpan. "I just can't get away from you, can I?"

My words do nothing to dim the soft smile on his face. "Welcome to Meiou, Asaki."

I feel my face growing warm at his words, and I sigh. "Thanks."

"Have you tried on your uniform yet?"

"Mm-mm."

"You should, and then I'll show you around."

"You don't have to do that," I reply. "The only reason you were asked to is because my dad interfered. For someone with no interest in my getting an education, he's certainly nosy about the whole thing."

Kurama chuckles, shaking his head. "Interestingly enough, he is your father."

"That means absolutely nothing, and you know it." I scowl, hugging the uniform to my chest.

He sighs, putting a hand on the back of his head. "Anyhow, I don't mind an official excuse to spend time with you."

I smile. "I like that we're essentially past the point where we need an excuse."

"Likewise. Now, go change."

"Weirdo," I say, heading to the nearest bathroom. It takes me a little bit to get all of the buttons in the right places, and the skirt is really stiff, but when it's all on, I look in the mirror, frowning. It doesn't look bad on me, but I think there's entirely too much red. On the plus side, my blue eyes really stand out.

Sighing, I step out into the hallway, stopping in front of Kurama. "How do I look?" I ask, twirling for effect. He doesn't say anything for a moment, and I start feeling self-conscious, holding my clothes I'd changed out of against my chest.

"Sorry," Kurama says, shaking his head. "I knew it would look lovely on you, but it's a different matter having my thoughts confirmed."

And the red continues, with my face following suit. "It's too much red," I mumble. "Maybe if I were in human form, it wouldn't look so bad, but I've grown accustomed to being a demon in school."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Personally, I'm a fan of red."

"I never would have guessed," I tease, relaxing a little.

"Come on," he gestures for me to follow him, and I find myself practically skipping along. This is going to be so exciting. Living World high school.

"I don't know that I really thought I would make it this far."

"Hm?" Kurama looks over at me as we make our way through the school.

"When I left home, I didn't have much of a plan. I was just winging it, figuring school would be my best bet if I wanted to survive here. Some part of me was certain my father would drag me back and never let me go. If I hadn't met you and Yusuke and Kuwabara, that's exactly what would have happened."

A tear falls from my eye, and I swipe at it, smiling. "Thanks for being here for me, Kurama."

"It's been a pleasure, Asaki, though I think you ought to give yourself a little more credit. You became friends with each of us on your own merit. If you weren't the person you are, I don't know that we would have become so attached."

I dig a hand into the base of my braid, happy to hear his words. "I've had a pretty bad life, but I can't say I regret anything that's happened to me. All of those experiences, good and bad...they've made me who I am today, and...I think I'm happy with that." As the words leave my mouth, I stop, laughing.

"Wow." I grin up at a confused Kurama. "I never thought I would say that." I pump a fist in the air, shouting, "Asaki Anno is happy to be Asaki!" I lower my hand, folding both of them behind my back. "Maybe that sounds really really stupid. Ignore me." I turn, looking away from him.

I feel a tug on the back of my head and realize Kurama's grabbed my braid. "Hey!" I say, whirling around. The expression on his face freezes me in place even as it warms me from my toes to the top of my head.

"You're amazing," he whispers, his voice full of an emotion I've never heard before. Whatever it is, it's unbearably pleasant, and my ears want more.

Taking a step back from Kurama, I stare up into his green eyes, lost in that same emotion echoed there. What is it? Why can't I place this look that makes my knees go weak and my heart race fast?

"Shuichi!" I jump as someone in a Meiou uniform runs toward us. Embarrassed to be caught staring so stupidly at Kurama, I focus on this newcomer, a scrawny guy with short-cropped black hair.

"Tora," Kurama says to his classmate.

"Shuichi, Gaku is looking for you. He said he needs your help with something." Tora turns, looking at me. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Oh, no," I say, holding up my hands in front of me like a moron. "Shuichi was just showing me around."

"Are you a new student?" he asks.

"Y-yes." I bow a little, saying, "Asaki Anno. It's nice to meet you."

"Tora Suzuki! Nice to meet you." He smiles. "Welcome to our school."

"Thanks." I turn to Kurama. "If you have other things to do, I'll catch you later, okay?"

He sighs. "I'll be along in a bit, Tora."

"S-sure," Tora says. He runs off, looking more than a little curious.

"Your classmates sure are nosy about you," I tell him.

"Yes, they really are." Kurama slides a hand in his pants pocket, digging the other into his hair. "You should come over for dinner, Asaki."

"Hm? Tonight?"

"If you can."

"I've actually got work, but I can come over tomorrow after class if you don't have plans."

Kurama smiles, relaxing his posture. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

…

When I get to the bakery, Kana and Haruka are hanging out by the register. "Asaki!" Haruka says, waving me over. "You'll never guess what school Kana's decided on!"

"Um, baking school?" I ask, grinning.

"Dai-ichi!" Haruka shouts.

"Shh," Kana whispers.

"There aren't any customers in here," Haruka whines. "Someone has to be excited for you."

"Are you not happy about that?" I ask Kana. "I thought you really wanted Dai-ichi."

"I do," Kana replies. "It's just…."

"Eiji's going to a school in Mushiyori City," Haruka says, sighing. "I am too, actually."

"Seriously?" I say, frowning. "There are lots of schools here. Why did you choose one there?"

"My dad went there," Haruka replies, shrugging. "He's been hoping I'd go since I was little."

I nod. "That's tough. But, I bet you'll do fine." Kai comes out of the back with a few boxes in his hands. "What about you?" I ask, catching one of the boxes when it tries to leave his hands.

"I'm not going to school," he says. "Dad runs a shipping business, so I'm going to work for him."

"Really?"

He shrugs. "I was never good at school anyway. Just fits better this way." Looking over at Haruka, he says, "You'll do great in Mushiyori, Haru."

She blushes at the nickname, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks," she mumbles.

With that, Kai leaves, boxes barely clearing the doorway. I poke Haruka, grinning. "Ask him out already."

Shaking her head, she looks at me, eyes wide. "I can't. I mean...I _could._ "

"If you don't, I'll do it for you," Kana mutters, making me laugh.

"You know it's bad when Kana's making threats," I reply.

"Well, what about you?" Haruka snaps. "You and Shuichi have been friends for nearly a year now. Why don't you ask him out?"

"Because I'm not interested in him like that," is my immediate reply.

"Liar," Kana says. "That's why you're going to Meiou."

"How do you...uh, I mean…." _Dammit_.

"A-ha!" Haruka points a finger at me. "I knew it! You do like him, and you're following him to Meiou and everything."

"That's not why I'm going to Meiou. Also, how did you know?" I ask Kana.

"Your uniform was sticking out of your bag." I look down, and sure enough, the red collar of my shirt is poking up where anyone who was really nosy could see it.

"Fine. But seriously, I'm not going to Meiou for Shuichi."

"Illuminate us," Haruka says, not sounding convinced.

"I'm going because it's a great school that's nearby. The principal there apparently met with my dad, and he approves too."

"Ooh," Haruka says. "The mysterious Mr. Anno."

"Anyway, being in the same school as Shuichi is more like an added bonus."

"With a great butt."

"Haruka!" My face burns bright red, and she laughs.

"Seriously, if he doesn't know you're head over heels for him by now, you're both doing something wrong."

"You're all doing something wrong," Mrs. Tendou says, stepping out onto the sales floor. "Quit yapping and get to work!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The three of us chorus, Kana pretending to do something important with the register and Haruka and me heading into the kitchen. We find work to busy ourselves with, but I notice Haruka's preoccupied the whole time. When I head out at the end of my shift, I see her talking with Kai, her hand on his arm, and I smile. Maybe there's good news in the air for those two after all.

…

I knock on the door of Kurama's house, and when his mom opens it, I watch as she tries to paste a hostess-y smile on her face. "Asaki. How are you?"

"I'm all right. How are you? You look...really tired." She's got bags under her eyes, and she looks a little pale.

"Oh, I'm just a bit stressed is all. I don't remember having to do much of the planning for my first wedding, but this one is certainly a handful."

"Yikes," I say, stepping inside.

"Would you like some tea?" she asks, clearly distracted as she walks into the kitchen. I follow, wondering if Kurama told her I was coming over. The fox is nowhere to be seen. Is he even home yet? I tried to take my time, stopping at the bakery on my way, but maybe I didn't take long enough.

"No thanks," I say. "I brought you some cookies, though." I hold up the bag, and she smiles for real this time.

"That's very sweet of you, Asaki." She takes the cookies and places them on the counter, grabbing a tea kettle. I guess I'm having tea regardless.

"Shuichi told me you've decided on Meiou." She's still fiddling around in the kitchen, not looking at me, so I settle down at the table, glancing at some papers that are sitting there: seating arrangements, a potential menu, and a budget spreadsheet. That brings back memories.

"Yeah," I say. "It seemed like the best fit for me."

"I know he's happy. He's been walking around the house humming ever since he told me you'd gotten your acceptance letter."

Kurama humming? Why can't I picture that? "I'm going to assume that's atypical behavior."

"It really is," she says as the kettle starts to whistle. She takes it off the stove, pouring it into a mug and fixing it up for me before setting it on the table at my side. "He usually only does it when he's exceptionally pleased with something."

She pours herself a mug before saying, "Anyway, I'm sorry to leave you, but I think I need to lie down. Shuichi's out in the back."

"All right," I say, taking a sip of my tea. It smells and tastes delicious, but I have no idea what kind it is. "I hope you get plenty of rest."

"Thank you, dear," she replies, giving me a warm smile before taking her tea and leaving me alone.

I look down at the papers before me, grabbing the pen that had surely been abandoned in agitation, judging by the furious scribbles in the margins of the seating chart. There are lots of sticky notes with guest specifics, and I find myself getting kind of excited. I haven't done this in ages.

Taking a long sip of my tea, I get to work, setting all of the seats, going through the menu, and fixing the budget perfectly. When I'm done, I finish the tea, getting to my feet and stretching. It feels good to be useful. I hope it helps, even if only a little.

I wash out my mug before heading to the back door and pulling it open. My jaw drops, and I stand in the doorway, awestruck. Before me is the greenest lawn I've ever seen, the yard fenced in. Around the edges? Well, "garden" feels like selling it short, but I don't know what else to call the veritable volume of verdant life.

There are more plants than I could ever hope to name, all budding or blooming in one way or another, so many flowers lending their scent and their color to the world in intoxicating ways.

Kneeling off to one side, his hair pulled back, a trowel in his hand, is Kurama. He's focused on whatever it is he's doing, so he doesn't notice me until I'm right beside him. I poke him in the back, and he looks up, a relaxed smile on his face.

"Hello, Asaki."

"Kurama this is incredible." I look around once more, still floored by how lovely it all is. "Do you do this by hand?"

"If you mean to ask if I use my demon powers, then no, I don't. There's a certain sort of satisfaction in getting this to all grow the normal way."

"I bet," I reply, smiling. "I don't suppose...I could help?"

His expression turns to one of surprise as he says, "Would you like to?"

I grin. "Yeah. I've never done anything like this before, so you'll have to be patient with me, but I'm game."

He gets to his feet, brushing off his pants. "It's hard work."

"I can't tell if you want me to help you or if you want to scare me away," I reply, folding my hands behind my head.

The smile he graces me with could melt steel. "Just fair warning." He goes to a little shed in a corner of the yard, coming back with gloves, a tiny rake, another trowel, and a watering can.

We spend the next couple of hours with Kurama telling me the names of the plants, showing me weeds to pull and how to do so, looking for pests, and watering properly. When we've finally made it through the entire thing, my hands are aching, my knees are sore, and my head is spinning with the sheer amount of information I've absorbed.

"You look tired," Kurama says, smiling at me.

"Absolutely exhausted. How do you do this?"

He shrugs. "I enjoy it. Gardening has always been something I've had a knack for. It's cathartic for me."

"I can imagine." I sit back on my rear, stretching my legs out in front of me. "That was really fun."

Kurama smiles. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. You're welcome to help me out here whenever you'd like."

"Seriously?"

"You're far too excited for this," he says, smiling wryly.

"It's something you really love," I reply, looking up at him with a smile of my own. "I'm more than happy to share it with you."

He stares at me for a second before running a hand over his face. I notice his cheeks have gone a little pink, and I frown. Did I do something wrong? "You say the nicest things sometimes," he murmurs, sounding a little flustered.

Before I can say anything more, I hear footsteps and look over to see Mrs. Minamino making her way over to us. "I see you two have been busy," she says, yawning.

"Did you get some rest, Mother?" Kurama asks.

"Just a bit of a nap. I feel much better now." She looks it too. Obviously not 100%, but at least she doesn't resemble a zombie anymore. I get to my feet, my legs a little wobbly from kneeling for so long.

"By the way, Shuichi, you didn't do anything with the papers in the kitchen, did you?"

"No," he says. "I've been out here the whole time."

Um.

"I spent hours pouring over those pages and coming up with nothing, but they're all neatly filled out and everything looks perfect." She frowns, turning to look at me. "Asaki, I don't suppose you did that?"

"Sorry," I say, bowing a little. "You looked so tired, and I thought maybe it would be nice to have that done when you came back to it."

"Don't apologize, dear," she says, shaking her head. "I'm not upset. Impressed and relieved, but not upset. How long did that take you?"

"Five minutes?" The two of them are staring at me like I've done something amazing again, and I sigh. "I, uh, used to do things like that for my father all the time. He was constantly hosting parties, and he left a lot to me, planning-wise. It's practically ingrained in my head."

Mrs. Minamino shakes her head. "You are something special, Asaki."

"Really," I say, waving away her praise. "I'm just happy to help."

A slow smile spreads across her face as she says, "I don't suppose you'd like to help me with something else as well."

"Sure," I reply, not really thinking.

"Well, you see, we have four groomsmen and only three bridesmaids." _Crap_. "I don't suppose you'd be my fourth?"

"Oh, I can't do that," I say, immediately refusing.

"Please, Asaki? It would make me incredibly happy."

 _Dammit! Just say no. You can do this._ "I...I mean…."

"I'll take care of everything. You'll just have to show up to fittings and rehearsals. Please?"

"All right." Did I just say that? The little voice in my head sighs, clearly giving up on me. I would too.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" Mrs. Minamino pulls me into a hug, and I return it, feeling overwhelmed. I cannot say no to this woman. "This is going to be wonderful," she says, clapping her hands together. "I'm going to make dinner." She gives me another quick squeeze before heading inside, leaving me with Kurama.

"No take-backs, huh?" I say, looking up at him.

"I can't say I'm not looking forward to this," is his reply.

"Sadist."

"Perhaps a bit."

* * *

A/N: I can't express how happy I am to be back to shenanigans. Canon stuff is absolutely amazing and all, but I like linking up all the pieces the main story doesn't handle. It's part of why I keep putting Asaki with the B Team when I can. She's got one more stint with B Team, and then she'll actually get to be with A Team just in time, so there's that to look forward to.

This chapter had some really hard parts. I needed to balance Asaki being pissed with how much she wants to reconcile with Kurama with how badly she doesn't want to get stepped on again. It was a struggle, but I hope I did it justice.

This is essentially the end of an arc, so in the space between now and the next main chapter, I'm going to post three side stories as chapters. They're all plot relevant, I swear, but the idea was just to break the action for a second, kind of give the characters (and me) time to breathe.

Thanks to everyone for the support you all gave that helped me through my rough patch! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **YukinaBlueRose, Katsip12,** and **Sidako** for the reviews!


	51. Copy Me Too (Ch 47 by Kurama)

A/N 1: So, this is the start of my little story break. There's going to be three of these chapters, and this one is Chapter 47, where Asaki had been kidnapped by Mimic, from Kurama's point of view.

* * *

It had been an incredibly tiring, disappointing past few days, but his talk with Koenma probably took the cake. It didn't make sense for the child-prince to keep important information from the people he was entrusting to save the world. Then again, many of the things Koenma did weren't necessarily filled with wisdom. He was clearly trying his best, but even the best of intentions can fall flat.

Rain was on the way, it seemed. Kurama could smell it in the air as he walked toward Yusuke's apartment. He was hoping he could divulge the information he'd wrangled out of Spirit World's prince and have assistance in executing his perfectly devised plan for getting the rest of the details, along with making sure Asaki was okay. She'd seemed particularly upset the day before, and Kurama couldn't help but burn with curiosity over what could have sent her so clearly over the edge.

Why did it feel like every time they were getting closer, she pulled herself away?

"Shuichi!"

The sound of Asaki's voice startled him, and he turned to see her running toward him, a smile on her face. Well, wasn't that relieving? Perhaps she'd worked her way through whatever had been bothering her. She seemed to be getting better at picking herself back up on her own lately, something Kurama was watching with pride. Every step she took forward was one that served to help make her more comfortable in her skin.

"Hello, Asaki," Kurama said, smiling as she approached. Something seemed...different about her. It took him all of a second to notice that she was wearing the necklace he'd given her out in the open. It had never bothered him that she'd chosen to hide it at first. He figured she'd told herself something stupid like _what if Kurama's soulmate saw her wearing it and got the wrong idea?_ Little did she know, as far as he could tell, she was his soulmate. At least, she would be if he believed in those things. Honestly, it was starting to get harder to remain skeptical, the more time he spent with her and the more drawn to her he became.

Why now, however, was she choosing to display it, he wondered. Something else felt off too. It was in the way she carried herself. Asaki probably didn't notice this, but she always seemed to walk around with her shoulders hunched the slightest bit, like she was afraid of drawing attention to herself. The only time she didn't was when she was bluffing, and hard. In those moments, she became this force of nature, stupendously confident and fearsome. At least, she looked that way to anyone who didn't know better.

Today, she had a spring to her step as she made her way toward him, no trace of the years of abuse she'd suffered in her posture or her expression. When she stopped before him, she was practically bouncing on her heels. It would have been cute if he wasn't concerned with her behavior. What was going on with her?

"How are you?" he asked, smiling pleasantly.

"Better now that you're here," she said, making him raise an eyebrow. Something was definitely wrong. Lines that were usually reserved for when one of the both of them were within an inch of their life, not standing out in broad daylight on the sidewalk. Was she in some kind of trouble?

"That's good to hear," he said, watching her carefully. She smelled different. Normally, the smell of fire and smoke always clung to her skin, even just a little. It had never bothered him because he knew it was just part of being a fire demon, but today he couldn't detect any of it. That wasn't normal. Instead, she smelled like flowers, with a hint of something muskier…. Like the smell of a storage shed? Her hormones smelled different as well, adrenaline pumping through her. What did that mean?

"Shuichi." She took his hand in hers, sliding her fingers between his. He stared at her, his heart suddenly beating faster. She did not frequently initiate physical contact between the two of them either. Once again, that always seemed like a life or death action, unfortunately. He was always wary of touching her for fear she might shrink away from him. He knew she'd been through so much, and the last thing he wanted was to put any amount of pressure on her. Somehow, he was certain if he did, she would run away.

"Yes?" His breath was a little short as she stared up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. Even as he waited for whatever it was she was going to ask him, an uncomfortable feeling settled into his stomach. Something else was definitely wrong. Her skin was cold. Not once since the day he'd met her had she touched him without that innate warmth buzzing under her skin, like her fire was her very pulse, and she could no more turn it off than stop her own heart. This...wasn't Asaki.

"I love you."

His blood suddenly ran cold at her words. The one thing he wanted to hear more than anything else, and she'd said it. Or, more specifically, this person using her voice, her face, her body. It hurt like a kick in the stomach to hear it from her but to know it wasn't really what he'd always wanted. Someone was using her to get to him, which left him with two questions: why and where was the real Asaki?

He took a deep breath, trying to remember how to breathe. He didn't know that Asaki was in trouble. This could be just a new psychic who saw him and Asaki together, knew she wouldn't be around, and decided to approach him like this. Or, it could be a situation like with Yana, and Asaki could be trapped somewhere, in trouble and needing help. As fear and anger began to freeze him through, he let a smile slip onto his face.

"Sorry," he said to the fake Asaki, using their joined hands and swinging her around until she collided with the wall of the building a few steps to his right. He slammed his palm against the wall beside her head. She squeaked, confusion in her eyes. Asaki's eyes. "I don't feel the same way."

The confusion gave way to hurt, and Kurama's chest tightened at the sight. Never. If this had actually been Asaki confessing to him, those words would never have left his mouth. He was certain he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she couldn't breathe. Instead, he had to turn down this impostor wearing her face, showing her pain. That only served to further fuel his fury.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked, a tremble in her voice. "I...I thought you loved me too! I don't understand."

"Whatever my feelings for Asaki are, that's none of your business." He narrowed his eyes at her, his voice deadly low as he asked, "Now, where is she?"

The fake Asaki's hurt turned to surprise as she met his piercing gaze. Kurama watched as the first trickles of fear seeped into her face. Asaki's face. "W-what are you talking about? It's me, Asaki."

"You've picked the wrong person to play games with," Kurama replied, his hand shaking as his energy started to flow from him, vines creeping up from the grass to cover the impostor's feet, snaking their way up her legs. She screamed, trying to break free, but the vines were too strong. Kurama covered her mouth with his hand, forcing her to stop screaming as he said, "You're just a human, so if you just tell me where she is, I'll go easy on you. If not, I will make you regret your very existence. Do I make myself clear?"

Tears magnified her eyes as she nodded, trembling in terror. When he let go of her mouth, she let out a sob, collapsing to her knees as the vines slid away. "H-how did you know?" she asked him, her voice watery.

"If Asaki had feelings for me," Kurama said, "she would never tell me."

"She's so s-stupid," the fake whimpered, getting to her feet. She was unsteady, but even so, she refused to give up Asaki's body.

"Insult her again," Kurama told her, his voice still dangerously low, "and you'll be leading me to her from the afterlife."

She started crying again, fat tears that ran down that beloved face. If he wasn't so angry, so worried, he would have had to fight with the urge to brush them away. As it was, he was growing impatient.

"Take me to her," Kurama said, and she shrank away from him.

"You're so mean," she whispered, trembling as she turned to lead the way.

He didn't reply, letting her feeble insult hang in the air as he followed her down familiar streets, trying not to lose his cool any more than he already had. Killing a human would have gotten him in serious trouble, regardless of the reason, but...Asaki.

Suddenly, the smell of blood reached his nose, and his heart faltered. So much blood. Grabbing the impostor by the wrist, he yanked her along with me, ignoring her startled cry. He was half-dragging her by the time he stepped into a familiar warehouse in the middle of the city, his eyes falling on Asaki. The real one, this time.

She was laying on the ground, her body covered in blood, cuts, and bruises, spirit cuffs around her wrists. She looked up at Kurama as he came to a halt, and he released the fake, rooting her in place with a single look before making his way over to Asaki. _Asaki._ She forced herself to her feet, and Kurama didn't miss the sharp intake of air, the look of pain that flitted across her face, as much as she tried to hide it.

He stopped in front of her, helping to hold her upright as she said, "H-hey."

Kurama let out a sigh of relief, pressing his forehead against hers, trying to ignore how much they were both trembling. She was here, she was alive, but she looked like she'd been through hell, and he hadn't been here to protect her. He'd seen the blood she'd trailed behind her on her way to where she now stood. Asaki would never be the type of person who would wait around until she was rescued, and he knew that, but that didn't stop him from wishing she would have, just this once.

"Why?" The impostor spoke out from behind him, and he felt Asaki stiffen at the sound, his fury renewed, mixing with his fear in heady ways. It was blurring his judgment, and he didn't know if he would be able to stand here much longer, not doing anything. "Why her?! What's the difference?! I'm wearing her face!"

"But you're not me," Asaki said, stepping away from Kurama. He saw how weak she was, and yet she still found the strength to stand on her own two feet. This woman really was incredible. "If you really knew Kurama, and if you really knew me, you'd know it has nothing to do with my face. We're friends because of everything we've been through together."

That was the Asaki he knew. Not the one who grabbed his hand in the street, who confessed her love to him like she was certain he would respond in kind. While he hoped one day they might reach that point together, he was more than willing to wait. He'd been waiting more than a thousand years for someone like her to walk into his life. What was a bit longer?

"But, I love you!" the fake Asaki cried, tears in her eyes as she looked at Kurama.

"I'm sorry," Kurama replied, "but I don't return the sentiment." His voice was flat, emotionless as he said it, and he watched it sink in once more. This time, however, he didn't feel remorseful for telling it to Asaki's face. He knew he would never have to say it again, and that was enough to push him forward.

She took a step back, and Kurama watched her turn to leave. He had every intention of letting her; he knew if she stayed much longer, he was probably going to do something he very much regretted. What happened next, however, caught him completely off guard.

Asaki, the real one, sprung from where she stood, tackling her double to the ground and punching her hard in the face. Kurama stood there, awestruck, wondering where in the three worlds that kind of strength had come from. It was when he saw her remove the necklace from around the fake's neck that his breath caught in his throat. As hurt as she was, as exhausted as she must be, she went to that trouble for a gift he'd given her. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to pull her into his arms and never let her go.

Instead, he watched the impostor Asaki ask for death and the real one refuse to give it to her. Even as hurt as she was, she didn't hesitate to defend her friends as she got to her feet, something Kurama might have found amusing if his emotions weren't already in so many different places.

The fake Asaki changed back into what Kurama could only hope was her actual body, even as he committed it to memory just in case she decided to come back to cause more trouble. She started to sob, and Asaki sighed, looking over at Kurama who had made his way toward her. He stared at her, a million thoughts racing through his mind, but he didn't say anything.

She started to limp to the front of the warehouse, leaving the sobbing human behind, but as she stepped outside, her legs gave out. Kurama caught her, holding her gently against him. "I was waiting for that. I'm impressed you lasted this long," he said, his voice soft.

"How bad do I look" she asked him as he lifted her into his arms, cradling her body as tenderly as he could.

"Like you were hit by a truck and then it backed over you," he replied, his voice flat. Being blunt was the only was he could think to disguise his true feelings. Asaki would not want to know what had been on his mind at that exact moment.

"I figured." She closed her eyes, saying, "I'm sorry."

"If you're trying to apologize for being kidnapped, please don't. There was nothing you could do."

"But I've wasted so much of your time," she mumbled. "I'm sure you had better things to do than to come save me."

Kurama tensed at her words, trying not hold back the agitation that started to creep up. "I think you could take a lesson from Yusuke," Kurama said, his voice terse. "He never complains when we take time to save him."

"Yeah, but Yusuke's a moron."

"Moron, yes. Stupid, no. We're a team, Asaki. You're no less rescuable than anyone else." _More so, at times._ As Kurama held her, he started to think that maybe he understood her father a little bit better. The man had locked Asaki up for long periods of her life, keeping her in sight and under his thumb at all times. Kurama thought, in that particular moment, that he wouldn't have minded hiding her away himself, somewhere no one else could get to her. No one could hurt her.

She would hate it, and she would hate him for thinking that way, but he was protective by nature of the things he loved. Very much so. Even as he held her in his arms, thinking of how much danger she was in with her weakened state, he wondered how he could keep her from fighting. She was always looking for trouble, always in far over her head. This time, there had to be a way he could stop that before it started. Their enemy now was the strongest they'd faced yet. If he could find a way to keep her from fighting, he would, in a heartbeat. Anything to keep Asaki safe.

* * *

A/N 2: This was an idea I had toyed with way back when I'd first planned this chapter, but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do Kurama's anger and his insecurities justice. Jury's still out, but I tried my best. I hope you guys enjoy! I want to thank **Francesca** for asking for this because I'm not sure I would have given it a try without that. Big thanks to everyone for reading and a special thank you to **blue-rae-1008** , **Sidako** , and a guest reviewer for the reviews! I hope you guys enjoy!


	52. The First Reason to Hide

A/N:Apologies to anyone who was hoping for another Kurama chapter. Instead, we're going to step into the mind of a different character. Welcome to the twisted mind of Hide (pronounced He-day, just in case that wasn't clear). Just a heads up? This creeped me out to write, so just be prepared reading. He's not a good person.

* * *

She isn't really much to look at. If she'd been some great beauty, I think trying to woo her might have turned my stomach a bit less. Couple her looks with the fact that she's a filthy half-breed, and I'm starting to seriously question just how worth it this plan is. Does the old man even care about his mutt of a daughter enough for this to work? The rumors stated he spared no expense as far as her education was concerned, and she's always present at functions like these, so perhaps he cares just enough.

Taro Anno makes me sick. What kind of pure-blooded demon would knowingly and willingly marry a human? On top of that, he had a child with that whore. If he wasn't such a powerful force in the three worlds, no one would associate with him, of that I'm certain. Human-fuckers are disgusting. God forbid those who would willingly have spawn with them.

Shuddering, I take a steeling swig of my wine, crossing the ballroom floor. Thankfully, she's alone. That should make this much easier. The music is in full swing, the lights glittering from chandeliers, the mood perfect for making my move.

She doesn't look up when I approach, a vague frown on her face. When I clear my throat, she jumps, turning her big blue eyes on me. Something about them has me transfixed, and I find myself swallowing under her gaze. She looks timid, frightened almost, but that's not what has me enthralled. There's just the tiniest bit of light in her eyes, like she's looking for something. God, but I want to extinguish that light. It's almost a physical need to crush this woman with my own hands, and all because of the look on her face.

"Anno, right?" I ask, giving her a warm smile.

She nods, breaking eye contact as she bows low. Respectful, rehearsed, almost...sycophantic. The fear in her melts away into a mask of refinement, and I have to suppress a laugh. She must know exactly who I am. How...amusing.

"It's a pleasure to officially make your acquaintance. My name is Hideaki Sato." The practice of taking human last names was popularized by this girl's own father, another thing I find detestable. Certainly, it makes it easier to work with and subjugate humans, but just the thought of attaching that filthy surname to my own makes me nauseous.

"Likewise, Mr. Sato." She gives me a smile that's about as real as the breasts on the human woman who walks past, eyeing me in a way that makes me slightly sick. The admiration of lesser beings doesn't excite me in the least.

"Please," I tell her, keeping up my best winning smile. "It would bring me immense pleasure if you'd refer to me as Hide."

She nods, not a single chink in her armor as she says, "As you wish, sir."

Damn, she's been trained well. That kind of pisses me off. At the same time, I can feel a slight tingling across my skin at the thought that perhaps...this might be a challenge. "I've been meaning to introduce myself to you for some time," I tell her. "The timing never felt right, but perhaps now is my chance to get to know you a bit better?" I gesture to the dance floor, and she merely nods.

"That is acceptable, sir."

Like a fucking doll. Her responses, her actions, everything is word-perfect. How does she even live like this? It would drive me up the wall to have to answer everything the way she does.

I take her out onto the dance floor, settling a hand on her waist as she places one on my shoulder. She's so small, and I feel like I could break her in half if I so desired. While I'm certain I would enjoy her screams, that's not my goal. I'm in this for the long haul. Tonight is merely the first step toward my grand plan.

As the music starts, we glide, her long red hair and black as night dress swirling in sync with her body. She's light on her feet, but I notice she's barely applying pressure where our bodies are forced to meet. I smirk over her head so she can't see, chuckling lightly. Cheeky little bitch doesn't want to touch me, huh? The music picks up, and I spin her out and back in, thinking. How do I get her _closer?_

 _That ought to work._ She's so completely oblivious to anything other than this little game she's playing that she doesn't even notice that I've moved us over just enough so when…

She stumbles, having been bumped into by the couple beside us, and doesn't have time to catch herself before falling against me. My arms come around her, and damn but she's small. If I squeeze just a little harder, she'll turn to dust.

"S-sorry!" she stammers, first to me as she pries herself away from me and then to the couple we interrupted who give her a cursory glance before beginning to dance again.

"Are you all right?" I ask her, all concern and careful demeanor. What is this smell that clings to her? I hadn't smelled it before, but upon having her so close, it catches my attention.

"I'm fine," she replies, that refined mask a distant memory at the fear in her eyes. "My sincerest apologies, sir." She bows again, keeping her head low, and I grimace. This absolute obeisance is getting a little old. Sure, I deserve to have her kowtowing before me, but it's not helping me woo her.

 _I've really got to touch her even more, don't I?_ Gritting my teeth for a moment, I turn on the charm full force as I place a hand under her chin, gently forcing her upright and locking eyes. "Come now, Miss Anno. There's no need for such formalities between friends. It was a simple mistake."

I'm rewarded for my efforts by a blush spreading across her cheeks. Her blue eyes are sparkling in the light, and it's a struggle to keep up my smile at the sight. This disgusting creature is really staring right at me. That's exactly what I wanted, and yet, it doesn't feel quite right, just yet.

"E-excuse me," she says, stepping away from my touch. She gives one last bow before disappearing into the crowd.

"Son of a bitch," I growl at her retreating form. Now, I'm angry. I will have that hideous mongrel eating out of my palm, I swear.

…

The next chance I get is at a dinner party held by a mutual acquaintance of her father's and mine. After a significant amount of rubbing elbows and general schmoozing, I notice she's avoiding me. Why, though? I'm certain I've done nothing to upset her. Very careful placement on my part has me closest to her when it's time for dinner, and I offer her my arm to escort her into the dining hall. She gives me a polite smile and a bow, which makes me wonder just how far I would have to push her to make her ignore me altogether. I'm curious. What angers a woman like this?

We sit down to eat, the person on her left making light conversation. Anno smiles and laughs in all the right places, clearly a master of manipulation, a real people-watcher. I wonder how it's possible she's had time to be so good at this. What does she do when she isn't busy being touted around by her father?

Not that it matters to me. My only goal is to force her to submit. Every new detail only serves to make that more and more enticing. I try to initiate conversation several times, but she doesn't engage with me, instead smiling dutifully, nodding, and saying exactly what she needs to. No more and no less. It's infuriating, but I keep my cool, giving her nothing but the most charming smiles that have brought scores of women to their knees. Once again, she proves immune as she casts her eyes away.

Once dinner is over, I casually follow her into the garden, pretending to admire the flowers as she disappears from sight. One, two, three seconds pass before I walk after her. I press on, frowning when she doesn't appear before me. How is it that I've reached the end of the garden and not found her?

"Permit me to ask," a voice says, making me jump, whirling around to see her standing behind me, hands folded politely in front of her. Her mane of red hair flows around her, falling to just below her waist, complemented tonight by a cream-colored dress. Blue eyes bore into me, and I catch my breath for a moment before regaining composure.

"Why are you following me?" she queries, her tone soft, neutral.

"I wanted to speak with you," I tell her, giving a sheepish smile. If the charm isn't working, maybe I just need to play a different card. "I was worried I'd done something to upset you."

"Not at all, sir," she replies.

"Ah, good." I take a step toward her, and she steps back, making my smile fall for a split second before I catch it. "I would have hated the idea of upsetting such a lovely young lady."

She narrows her eyes, saying, "I'm 200 years old. That's hardly young."

Two hundred? No, that was about right, wasn't it? And yet, Taro Anno had kept her hidden for large parts of her childhood. That much I can recall, although I'm not much older than her myself.

"Younger than I am," I reply. "Besides, you don't look a day over 150 to me."

She looks me over, and part of me thinks she might actually be seeing me for the first time. However, she doesn't respond to my words like I'd expected her to. The perfectly trained girl ought to have at least cracked a smile, but she doesn't. She just continues to look at me like she's trying to figure something out.

"That was a joke," I tell her, giving a weak smile. "You know, ha ha? Funny?"

She opens her mouth to speak when a sharp voice barks out, "Asaki!"

Suddenly, her back stiffens, the discerning look on her face replaced by one of perfect and utter complaisance as her father walks toward us. Watching her reaction, several pieces begin to click into place. A real smile slides across my face as she turns away from me, her head lowered so as not to meet Taro Anno's eyes.

"We're leaving," he barks at her.

"Yes, Father," she replies, her voice that same incredibly polite, servile tone she used with me the very first day.

"Sato," Taro says to me, his dark eyes like chunks of rock.

"Mr. Anno. A pleasure." I give him a bow that he returns with a nod of his head. Self-centered, conceited asshole. I can't wait until I can shit on his grave, his company in my hands, his daughter my personal bitch.

He turns his back on me, his daughter following without a word. Neither of them can see the grin on my face as I watch them leave. Once they're gone, I can't help but laugh. Amusement flows over me, and I can't stop, doubling over from the effort. When the feeling subsides, I wipe the tears of joy from my eyes, turning to look into the garden. Beside me is a cluster of flowering lilies, red, white, and stunning. With a smug smile, I pick one, snapping it off just before the bloom. I take in its scent with one deep inhale before crushing it in my fist.

I can't wait to make that smug bastard hurt by taking his precious daughter from him.

…

She spends more time alone than her father probably likes. Even now, as I sit down beside her, once again outside of a party, at the edge of a lake, this time at a home in Demon World, I'm sure she'd prefer to be alone. Too bad. She'll just have to get used to being alone with me.

This will be our third encounter. Normally by now, women I've pursued have begged for my attentions. She, however, remains deliciously distant as she sits on the shore of this massive lake, ignoring me. How impudent of her. I can't wait to break her.

"It's a lovely night," I say, looking up at the stars.

"It is," she replies, not looking my way.

"I've always found clear, warm nights like these are perfect for getting to know people better. Say, perhaps, by taking a walk with an interesting demon?"

She scoffs, and I raise an eyebrow, surprised. Have I hit a sore spot? How...intriguing.

"Or not."

At this, she levels a look at me, her bright blue eyes as cold as ice. "What do you want from me?"

"A smile would be nice," I tell her. "I'm sure you'd look much prettier with one." Gag. Major gag. Nothing could make this freak attractive to me other than the massive fortune she's heiress to.

"I'm not keen on playing games," she tells me, her voice flat, emotionless. This is new, and it intrigues me to no end. I've earned her ire by seeking her out. I think I like this reaction in her.

"Nor am I," I lie, my expression serious, controlled, perfectly schooled. She's not the only one who's been groomed to perfection. I too can switch facades at the drop of a hat.

"Then I would suggest you leave me be," she replies. "Before people start to talk about the head of Sato Corp and the filthy half-demon."

It's almost funny, hearing the words come from her lips. _Filthy half-demon, indeed._ "What if I told you I don't care what they say?" Another lie. I'm absolutely counting on the rumors spread by hanging around her. My trump card to force her father's hand if this doesn't work out as planned.

"Then you're a fool," she grumbles.

"Be that as it may, I seek only the companionship of another soul."

"Look elsewhere."

 _Listen here, you stupid bitch. Let me flirt with you, dammit!_ I can't imagine she garners the attention of a lot of men, as disgusting as she is, so she should be flattered I'm giving her the time of day. That, and the rest of her life, if this goes the way I intend it to. Thinking that, I have to suppress a shiver. A lifetime shackled to this pathetic thing. Maybe I'll have her killed once I get ahold of her father's company. No one would miss her.

"What if I don't want to?" I stare at her, forcing her gaze my way. Suffusing all the warmth I can into my eyes, she looks back, unflinching. There's not even a hint of faltering in her gaze, and I find myself agitated. I want to wring her thin, pale neck until it's purple with bruises. Maybe then her expression will change.

Suddenly, a chill trips up my spine, a new smell in the air. Hostile demons? Getting to my feet, I look around, Anno doing the same. An imp demon makes its way toward us, looking emaciated and hungry. It's almost as disgusting as the woman at my side, and I grit my teeth, uncertain how to respond. If it attacks, should I protect the half-breed? Ugh, but what if I get hurt doing so? If she gets hurt because I don't help her, that will put a hole in my suit, that's for certain. However, this shirt is brand new….

The little intruder launches itself at us, fangs bared, and just as I've decided that my shirt is more important than the half-bitch beside me, the demon is screaming in agony, engulfed in flames. It crumbles to ash in the span of two seconds, and Anno lowers her hand, a disdainful look on her face.

 _Smoke_. What I had smelled on that very first night, coming off of her skin had been the scent of smoke. Asaki Anno is a fire demon. The daughter of a distasteful ice apparition uses fire. What in the three worlds?

As she stands there, that expression still on her face, she looks over at me, and I feel my stomach flip. That look, one of disgust and displeasure…. She's absolutely beautiful. When it falls away to one of concern, I blink, and it's like the spell is over. She's back to being a filthy half-breed, and I'm safe once more. _What the fuck?_ I rake a hand through my hair, taking slow, deep breaths, trying to regain myself. What is wrong with me? This mutt, beautiful? I might need to get my head examined.

"Are you all right?" she asks me.

 _No, no I'm not._ "Perfectly fine. That's a handy trick of yours."

"Don't tell anyone," she says, all traces of that unpleasant expression gone from her face, replaced once more by fear. "My father will kill me."

"Well, we can't have that happen," I reply. "I promise, Asaki, I won't tell him."

She nods, completely ignoring my use of her first name. Good. Better than I possibly could have planned it myself. "I'm going to go," she whispers, her voice soft.

"Have a good night, Asaki." I give her a smile that she returns with another nod, her expression distant, thoughts elsewhere. Once she's gone, I stare at the remains of the foolish demon who tried to attack us. A cautionary tale about playing with fire. Things have gotten much more interesting.

…

Fire. Every time my gaze drifts her way, all I can see is fire. It consumes, destroys, indiscriminately. What could be more beautiful than a greed that does nothing more than eat and eat and never tires, never fills? Even in a disgusting half-breed, it's not a bad feature. It might be her only redeeming one.

We're thrown together frequently and not by coincidence. I do everything I can to make my presence known, going out of my way to attend events that her father will be a part of, hoping he'll bring her along. Even when he doesn't, it isn't a total loss. It gives me a chance to get closer to him, let him see my own business acumen and that I would be a valuable asset to be more involved with. Our companies already work together in certain instances, but it doesn't hurt to cover all of my bases.

It's with this in mind one day, on my way back from a meeting, that I smell smoke. It's the middle of the day in Living World, and I'm not near any restaurants or residences. _It couldn't be._ Following my nose, I turn down a side street, eyes wide at the sight before me.

At first, I think the alley is awash with fire, but after a moment, it turns to blood. Blood and hair as dark a red as the stuff that pools at her feet. Her eyes are wide as she grips her arm, and I notice the darkness trickling down, past her fingers to add to the growing puddle around her. There are a few bodies strewn across the ground, and there's evidence of an explosion here.

"Asaki?" I say, walking slowly toward her. She jumps, colliding with the wall and slipping, falling to the ground. The blood splashes around her, and she's covered with the stuff. I continue to move forward, transfixed by the sight of the red liquid seeping into her clothing, still dripping from her wound.

"S-stay back," she stammers, her blue eyes huge and round, staring up at me, tears forming and falling.

I ignore her, crouching down, the blood getting onto my dress shoes. Reaching out, I grab her arm where she's bleeding, squeezing just a little. More blood flows out, and I squeeze harder.

"Hide." I freeze, looking up at her to find that her tears are streaming freely now, down her cheeks. "Hide, stop. It hurts."

I drop her arm slowly, her blood on my fingertips. She presses her fingers against her injury, and the blood stops oozing out, but it's still everywhere around her. Some of it has even colored her face. Reaching out, I slowly, so slowly, brush a tear from her eyes, marveling at the way it futilely tries to wash away the red everywhere.

She doesn't stop me, letting my hand rest on the side of her face as she closes her eyes, her breath hitching. When she opens them again, I can see that light there, flickering hard, struggling to hold on.

I stand, offering her my hand. She takes it, her fingers trembling as I pull her to her feet. As she looks up at me, covered in her own blood and the blood of the men she's killed, I find I can't look away.

 _She's so beautiful._

* * *

A/N: Thank goodness that's over. I was pretty excited to write this because someone told me it would help me better understand both Asaki and Hide. It sure did, and now I feel like I need to sterilize my brain. Why do I do this? x.x Anyway, I hope this helped you guys too. I wanted to show a slow descent into obsession, so if that's the vibe you got, I did a good job! If you got something else entirely, I'd be really curious to know what!

The next chapter will be very different, I swear. It's also the last of my break chapters and a really long one.

Thanks for reading, guys! Special thanks to **2, YukinaBlueRose, firemadein789, and bluerose921** for the reviews! See you next time!


	53. Taro's Roots

**A/N:** Welcome to the backstory no one knew they wanted (not even me)! It'll become really obvious really fast what I'm up to here. I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Taro wasn't the kind of demon who allowed himself more than a few hours of free time in a day. If he wasn't working, then he was failing in some way. So, when the meeting for his newest client ended an hour early, leaving him with dead time between that and his next appointment, he was irritated. How could he keep himself busy for the next hour?

What he'd decided on was a walk through a sector of town he was looking to acquire the property rights to. It was off the main drag, but the land was great, relatively flat and perfect for developing on if he so chose. The biggest impediment to his plans was the Takeda Shrine, a massive Shinto shrine that was famous for exorcising spirits. The woman in charge was an absolute nightmare to deal with, fully aware he was a demon and what he was after. Not that that would stop him.

Standing in front of the shrine, he couldn't help but admire it. The _torii_ were large and imposing, a few of them marking the main path into the heart of the place. They looked like they were cleaned regularly, along with the walkway below, which was always free of debris, whenever he walked by. The grass on either side was also neatly trimmed, whatever foliage decided to live alongside it almost respectful as it too remained tidy, despite nature's inevitable push toward chaos.

 _I wonder how much this property would sell for_ , he thought, looking beyond the gates, trying to see the actual shrine building to no avail. This wasn't a place for someone like him. He knew the moment he tried to enter the grounds, one of the shrine maidens would alight on him like some kind of harpy. That wasn't something he was particularly interested in experiencing again any time soon.

"Hey, you!" Speak of the devil. Coming down the path toward him was a young woman, no more than 20 years old, her dark brown hair tied back, wearing traditional shrine maiden hakama, a broom in her hands. She was pretty, for a human, even if her strange blue eyes were glaring daggers into him. Part of him wondered how a woman who was clearly Japanese could have such bright blue eyes, but he didn't have time to think long on it.

"What do you want?" she growled, coming toward him, the broom gripped tightly in her hands. "I've seen you come through here, and you're always staring. Either come in or go away."

He raised an eyebrow at her, surprised at her words. "You are aware I am a demon, correct?"

"Of course," she replied. "I can practically smell it on you."

This almost earned a chuckle from him. Almost. Despite her appearance, something told him this woman was dangerous, a feeling he didn't appreciate experiencing. Violence was never something he enjoyed resorting to, but he would protect himself if he had to.

"And yet you would permit me entrance?"

"You're here for a reason," she stated, crossing her arms, the broom resting in the crook of an elbow. "Demon or human, if you seek the assistance of a god, who am I to stop you?"

At this, he did laugh. "The assistance of a god? What business would a demon have with human gods?"

"You'd be surprised," she replied coolly.

He opened his mouth to say something more when a sharp voice cut across the space between them.

"Asami! Get away from that man!" Coming down the path toward them, also dressed in _miko_ garb, was an older version of the woman before him. Her hair was pinned up and graying, her dull brown eyes sharp and mean. In her hands were several paper talismans. Taro couldn't make out the calligraphy on them, but he was certain they served one purpose: demon exorcism.

At over 400 years old, Taro wasn't fazed by much from humans anymore, but he knew those talismans would hurt if he wasn't careful. Pain was something he'd pass on if he could help it. Still, a certain stubborn part of him didn't quite want to leave just yet.

"Mother," Asami said, turning so she could regard both the older woman beside her and the demon on the other side of the gate.

"Mrs. Takeda," Taro said, bowing his head the slightest bit.

"Don't speak my name, you filthy demon," Mrs. Takeda snarled. "You will never have so much as a sliver of this shrine. Now, leave before I make you."

Nodding his head, he smiled wryly. "As you wish, Mrs. Takeda." To the younger woman, he gave another sarcastic bow, saying, "Be careful, Miss Takeda. It doesn't do to trust strange demons."

Asami Takeda didn't reply, merely watched him as he turned away, heading down the street without another word. Taro had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time he was the focus of those strange blue eyes. For some reason, he felt just a little...pleased.

…

The next time Taro walked past the Takeda shrine, he half expected to immediately be assailed by one of the Takeda family members. However, no one came, and he didn't have time to hang around. This was the first time in his life he'd ever regretted how busy he liked to keep himself, even if he didn't fully understand why. This shrine had been a thorn in his side for so long, so what was it that was suddenly making him want to come by?

It required more investigation. That was the only way he could justify taking the long way home, walking by the shrine once again. This time, he was in luck. There did happen to be people outside the shrine, however, they weren't where he'd expected them to be. There was a ladder leaning against the side of the front-most gate, a young man standing on it, holding something up for the woman who sat straddled across the top of the gate.

"A little more, Hata," the woman called down to the man, who looked utterly flustered.

"Please, mistress," he said, sounding nervous. "I wish you'd let me do that. It's dangerous up here."

Taro watched the two, surprised. The woman he recognized as Miss Takeda from the night before, but the man was new to him. What's more, he was also a demon, albeit a very weak one. Taro wasn't particularly strong himself, settled firmly in D class, but this demon was even lower than him. It would be as easy as breathing for the shrine maiden to exorcise him, but instead, they were working together to do who knew what. It didn't seem to fit with the shrine's reputation as serious demon exterminators.

"It's fine," Asami said, stretching her arm down, trying to grab hold of whatever the weak demon was handing up to her. She reached over just a little too far, losing her grip on the top of the gate. It wasn't a long way to fall, but she would certainly break a few bones at the bottom. Or at least, she would have if Taro hadn't caught her.

He stared, dumbstruck, at the human woman in his arms. Taro had no business rescuing anyone, least of all a human, so he was so surprised at his own actions that he'd been rendered mute, merely staring, dark eyes into brilliant blue. _Oh. So that's why._ He hadn't noticed with how far apart they'd been standing before, but Asami Takeda was absolutely brimming with spiritual energy. It was no wonder she had such an easy time exorcising demons with so much power that it even showed through her eyes.

"Mistress!" The weak demon scurried down from the ladder, the sound of his voice breaking Taro from his thoughts. He set Asami upright again, taking a step back as the other demon approached, his eyes wide.

"I'm all right, Hata," she told him, waving away his concern. "Thanks to…." Turning to look at Taro again, he gave her the slightest of bows.

"Taro," he said, "and you don't need to thank me."

"I would have been in rough shape if you hadn't caught me," she replied, smiling warmly. It was this that made him take another step back. How was it possible this creature was related to the old hag who ran the damn place? She was all ice and darkness, but this woman was all warmth and light.

"You would have lived," he said, trying to keep his voice as flat as possible. Cold disinterest was the easiest way to handle people like her. Eventually, she would give up on kindness to him, just like everyone else.

"True, but a bit more broken and bruised than I care to be." Her smile turned sly, almost like she was sharing a secret with him. He didn't like the idea of being in her confidence for anything. That seemed dangerous, to say the least.

"Mistress," Hata said, his voice low. "She's coming."

Suddenly, that smile slid away from her face, replaced with a flatness of expression that would have given Taro a run for his money. He watched as she pulled a paper talisman from her sleeve, setting it on the ground and stepping on it. The smell of cherry blossoms and fresh tatami straw gently floated through the air, and he frowned as Asami turned to face the hag herself, storming their way with an expression that could freeze steel.

"Asami," Mrs. Takeda snapped, stopping before them.

"Mother," the woman replied. "What brings you out here?"

"I thought I sensed that disgusting man," she said, looking around.

It was a singularly uncomfortable experience to be stared through instead of at. Seconds passed with Mrs. Takeda glaring in his direction, her eyes never once focusing on his exact spot. Slowly, she turned her gaze on her daughter again, narrowing her eyes. She looked from Asami to Hata to the ladder, saying, "I hope you're not scampering around on top of the gates again. You know I don't like you up there."

"Never, Mother," Asami replied, her voice smooth and calm.

Mrs. Takeda swept her gaze over Hata, sneering at him. "I hope for both of your sakes that that's the truth." Shaking her head, she turned and walked away, heading back up the path. Even after she disappeared from sight, it was a solid minute before anyone even dared breathe.

Asami lifted her foot from the talisman on the ground, and Taro felt his stomach flip slightly, the world shifting the tiniest amount before settling again. Just like that, whatever she'd been doing to keep him hidden was gone.

"You shouldn't have done that, mistress," Hata said, glaring at Taro.

"Yes, I should have," Asami replied, and when she turned, the look on her face made Taro once again reassess this human woman. Had he said she was light and warmth? No, she was pure fire, dangerous and beautiful, a force to be reckoned with. As she bent down to pick up the talisman and put it back in her sleeve, he couldn't take his eyes away.

"You don't know who this man is," Hata told her, and at this Taro smirked at the weak demon. His reputation preceded him, it seemed.

"It doesn't matter who _he_ is," Asami said. "What matters is who my mother is and how she treats demons who've done her no personal wrongs. I won't let her do whatever she wants."

"Even to the man who's trying to buy this shrine out from under us?" Hata asked.

Asami smiled at that, turning her brilliant blue eyes on Taro. "Even so. It's not like he'll succeed anyway."

Taro frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Either you're very confident in your family or you're grossly underestimating me."

"Neither," she replied, still smiling. "You're not the first person who has tried to relieve us of these grounds, and you will not be the last. However, no one has taken it yet. I like to think there's a god out there looking out for us."

"Foolish," Taro grumbled. "What business would the gods have, if they even existed, with a shrine like this?"

"I haven't a clue," she said, still sounding utterly unconcerned. "I've learned never to look a gift horse in the mouth." Sliding her hands into her sleeves, she said, "I don't believe we were properly introduced. My name is Asami Takeda." She bowed, giving Taro no time to recover from her strange statements.

"Taro," he replied in turn, dipping his head slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Taro," Asami said. "Be careful coming around here in the future. If my mother catches you, only bad things will come of it." With that, she turned away, climbing up the ladder again. Hata grumbled something rude under his breath as he brushed past Taro to assist Asami, leaving the other demon alone on the ground, a strange feeling in his chest.

 _How does she know I'll be coming back?_ he thought, staring up at her for a moment before walking away. Why was he going to do just that? It wasn't as though he needed to be there to buy the ground out from under their worthless human feet. Despite this, he found he was looking forward to the next time he would meet this interesting human woman.

…

Walking past the shrine was becoming a bit of a problem. Taro did this every other day, if he could manage it. Unfortunately, he was rarely rewarded for his efforts. Whether that was because Mrs. Takeda had caught on to his presence or that weak demon was going out of his way to keep Asami elsewhere whenever Taro was around, he did not know, but he hadn't seen her in a month, despite his best efforts.

Not that it mattered. If she wasn't going to let him be curious about her, then he wouldn't bother with it. Humans were none of his business anyway, unless they were under his employ or in his way. Asami Takeda was neither of these things; her mother was the one he should have been concerning himself with.

This he told himself as he stood outside a small office building where a crowd had gathered. Taro pushed his way to the front of the people, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the man he was supposed to be meeting with today. "What's going on?" Taro asked, looking irritated.

"The meeting is cancelled," the human told him, bowing. "Apparently, an errant D Class demon is causing havoc in the building." He gestured to the structure in question, and Taro sighed.

"Why the crowd, then? Are these people looking to get themselves killed?"

"No. Apparently, there's a famous demon exorcist in there."

Taro grunted, turning away from the man and eyeing the building. If he concentrated, he could just barely sense two energies, one human and one demon. The demon was weak as far as demons went, but Taro had a feeling it could best him in a fight. The human, however, was what interested him. What were the odds...?

Apparently very high, as the faint smell of cherry blossoms and tatami reached him. A wave of energy pulsed from the building, making him flinch as it raked across his flesh. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest, trying to remember to breathe as the pain subsided, leaving him shaken. The demon inside the building was gone, its energy signature disappearing in an instant.

"Hey! Are you-"

"I'm fine," Taro grunted, narrowing his eyes as he focused on the front door. After a few minutes, out stepped Asami Takeda, looking a little tired. He watched as she approached a man with a worried expression on his face. Taro couldn't catch what she said to him, but the man smiled in relief, passing her something that she pocketed with a smile.

She turned away from him, and the crowd began to disperse, having lost interest now that the demon was gone. Taro walked toward her, standing a few feet apart, waiting for her to notice him. It took her longer than he would have thought it should, but perhaps that exorcism had been overly tiring for her.

When she looked up at him, it was with wide eyes. "Taro?"

"Miss Takeda," he told her, suddenly aware of two things: the time of day and how much free time he had. "Would you like to get lunch?"

She stared at him like she had no idea just what she was looking at, and for some reason, that made him a bit...nervous. After a beat or two, she said, "Asami." He frowned in response, and she added, "Call me Asami."

"Asami." Her first name felt strange in his mouth but not in an unpleasant way. "Have lunch with me."

She smiled, and he wondered if she'd noticed that his question had turned into more of a command. Judging by her expression, he thought not. Regardless, Taro didn't know what he would do if she refused him.

"All right," she said, her voice like the words to a magic spell. Taro found himself unfortunately charmed, his better judgment escaping him. Lunch with a human woman. What was wrong with him? Many things.

…

Lunch was a time for discovery. The two of them had settled on eating at a local establishment that served _kaiseki_ throughout the day. Taro had waved away the entertainment they'd offered, preferring to speak over meals instead of being distracted from them. This was usually where he took potential business partners, in an attempt to impress them. He had no way of knowing if his gesture was doing just that for Asami, but he surely wanted it to. Why was beyond him.

She was 20 years old. When he'd told her he was over 400, she had looked surprised but not off-put. Instead, she'd grilled him about historical dates and facts, things he'd seen firsthand or heard about from people who had. She seemed to find him fascinating, something he was thoroughly unprepared for.

"What do you do for a living?" she asked him, setting her bowl of rice aside and reaching for a bit more food.

"I run a business that acquires and helps run other businesses," he said.

"That sounds exhausting," she replied, looking entirely refreshed from her earlier tiredness.

"It was at first, but it's become easier the longer I've done it," he told her.

"I guess so," she said, frowning. "And this business of yours is why you want our shrine."

It took him a moment to respond, but when he did, it was with an affirmative nod. "That is correct."

She sighed, running a hand through her brown hair and dislodging the tie that had held it back. Her hair tumbled around her, and she grimaced, proceeding to pull it up again. Taro watched her deft fingers as she did so, admiring how slender they were and wondering if her hands were as delicate as they looked.

"You and your mother are good at exorcising demons, aren't you?" he asked, in an attempt to change the subject.

"We are," she replied, allowing it. "Been that way for generations, all the way back to the Muromachi Period."

"That's an impressive legacy," he said, frowning. Her family had been ridding Human World of demons since he was born, maybe even before then. The more time he sat here, the more he learned about her, the more ridiculous it seemed to even spend a moment in her company, this woman whose entire life had been dedicated to eradicating the weak and arrogant of his kind who got into more trouble than they could handle. Taro had no great love for stupid demons, but he'd begun to wonder, sitting across from Asami, if perhaps he wasn't the biggest fool of all.

"It's a restrictive one," Asami replied. "My mother and hers before her and so on all the way back...all of them knew exactly what they would do with their lives. They never had a choice, and neither do I."

"If you could choose, what would you do?" Taro asked her.

She looked up at him then, blue eyes locked onto brown ones, and he found he'd forgotten how to breathe, waiting for her reply. "I haven't the slightest," she said at last, smiling. Just like that, the spell was broken, leaving Taro feeling like she hadn't been truthful to him. Then again, they were still strangers. What right did he have to her confidence?

Taro sighed, shaking his head. "You are a singularly vexing individual."

"Am I?" she asked him, a teasing twinkle in her eyes. "I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me."

He laughed, surprising himself. Who on earth was this woman with her strange, offbeat sense of humor and bizarre timing? She was throwing him off his game, but he was finding, more and more, that he didn't mind.

"Tell me about that demon you keep with you. Hata, was it?"

Asami nodded, saying, "He's an old friend. I saved his life a long time ago, and he's been glued to my side ever since. I know he's older than me, but I can't help seeing him like a little brother."

"Hm." Taro tapped his fingers on the table, thinking. "How does your mother tolerate a demon so close to her daughter all the time?"

Asami shrugged. "He's so spiritually weak that he doesn't even register to her. She thinks he's just a really stupid human who very much enjoys cleaning."

"And it doesn't bother you, being in the proximity of a demon as often as you are?"

"I can't see why it should," she said. "I may exorcise demons, but I'm not heartless. The only demons I will attack are those who cause trouble first. Hata wouldn't hurt a fly. Besides, he's practically family at this point."

"You're a foolish human if you think demons and humans will ever be able to get along in that way," Taro said, ringing a bell at the end of the table, signaling for the waitstaff to start removing the dishes. This meal was over.

Asami smiled at his harsh words, saying, "I would rather be a hopeful fool than a cynical one." She got to her feet, smoothing the pleats in her pants, and Taro watched her for a long moment before also standing. They exited the establishment, Asami bowing to him when they reached the street.

"Thank you very much for the food," she said. "If you'll excuse me." She turned and left, Taro watching her go, rooted to the spot. He could have done so many things at that point. He could have called out to her, chased her down, told her he was sorry for being so cruel. None of these seemed right, however, so instead, he just stood there, at war with himself for the first time in several hundred years, as his heart and his head fought for dominance. Even he wasn't quite sure which would emerge victorious.

...

He stayed away for two months this time, doing everything he could to fill his mind with anything other than blue eyed humans with slender fingers and warm smiles. Nothing helped, however. He found himself thinking about her wherever he went, wondering if she would like the places he visited or the things he was doing. Wondering what it was she wished she could be doing with her life rather than succeeding the shrine. At times like those, he redoubled his efforts to be distracted, those two months the most productive he'd had in a very long time.

Walking home on a dreary, rainy evening, Taro ducked under the roof of a nearby building, shaking off the water that had collected on his umbrella. As he stood there, he overheard two humans nearby talking as they took shelter from the rain.

"Yeah, I heard there was this big explosion. A lot of people were seriously injured. I thought that priestess was done for."

"Really? How powerful was the demon if it hurt someone like her that badly?"

"Obscenely so."

Taro pushed off the wall, his umbrella held over his head as he set out into the rain again. His feet steered the way, even as his demon core trembled, refusing to acknowledge the reason for his disconcertment. Even when he saw her, leaning against one of the pillars of the _torii_ , he wouldn't admit to himself how worried he'd been. However, that didn't stop the rush of relief he felt as he approached.

She looked up as he got closer, her clothing and hair entirely soaked. How long had she been sitting in the rain? There was a scratch on her face that looked mostly harmless, the ones on her arms and legs a bit less so. Taro didn't know what to say as he stopped before her, his umbrella poised over her head. When she didn't speak either, he sighed, settling down at her side, shielding them both from the rain.

The air around them smelled like cherry blossoms and tatami straw as she traced along the lines of her injuries, one at a time. Taro watched her, amazed, as slowly, so slowly, the wounds began to close. She looked like she was struggling, and all he could do was look on, unable to help her in any way. This was driving him mad, the silence stretching between them like some untraversable gulf, pushing them further and further away from each other.

"He promised me," she whispered after an agonizingly long time. Her voice was hoarse with anger and unshed tears, two things Taro knew he would be able to do nothing about. At least, not here. Not like this.

"Who promised you?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"Prince Koenma," she whispered. "He promised me his barrier would stop them."

Barrier? "The Kekkai?"

She nodded. "He said it would stop A and S Class demons from entering Human World." She was shaking now, her hands unsteady as they traced her injuries. "If that was the case, then why? Why was that asshole here!" she shouted, her voice cracking.

"You banished an A Class demon?" he asked her, eyes wide.

"He hurt so many people. It took me too long to stop him, and he killed so many innocent people." She gritted her teeth, spitting, "What the hell is the point in having all this power if I can't save everyone?!"

Taro didn't know what to say. There had been a time, centuries ago, when he too had wanted to protect everyone he could. However, the years and his own ineptitude had caught up with him, to the point he'd barely been able to save himself. When he'd finally taken his life into his own hands, he'd decided he would never put himself in that situation again. Now, sitting beside this woman, he wondered what to do. She wasn't like him. If he wasn't careful, he was certain to lose her.

"You can't always save everyone," he said at last, his words slow and deliberate. "However, your being there today mattered. How many more people might have died if you hadn't stopped that demon?" She didn't respond, so he continued, "If you manage to save even one life, you have to allow it to be enough. It will never feel that way on its own, but if you tell yourself it is, slowly, you might start to believe it."

She looked over at him, and he couldn't tell if she'd been crying or if it was rainwater on her face. Wordlessly, she rested her head on his shoulder, and he stiffened at her touch but did not pull away. Despite how drenched she was, he could feel the heat from her body where it pressed against his own. They sat like that for a while, Asami still running her fingers along her injuries, Taro holding his umbrella over their heads to shield them from the omnipresent rain.

After a while, the smell of cherry blossoms and straw faded, and Taro realized she'd fallen asleep. Today must have been a nightmare for her, and all he'd been able to do was fend off the rain when she was already soaked to the bone. Gritting his teeth, he sat there feeling perfectly useless. He couldn't even take her inside because the moment he stepped over the threshold of the shrine, that damn hag was sure to find him.

The sound of footsteps made him look up, and he found himself staring at Hata. The demon had managed to arrive without catching Taro's attention, further tribute to just how unnoticeable his presence was. As he stared at the other man, a different thought began to cross his mind. Maybe it wasn't that Hata was weak...maybe, just maybe….

Hata let out a long sigh, bending down and scooping Asami into his arms. Taro got to his feet, and the two men stared at each other for a long moment before Hata turned to head back into the shrine.

"Wait," Taro said, passing his umbrella to the other man. In seconds, Taro was drenched by the rainwater, but he earned a raised eyebrow and eventually a nod from Hata. Then, the demon walked off, into the shrine.

Taro looked up at the sky, letting the water run over him, into his eyes, covering every pore of his skin, every fiber of his clothing. As he stood there, he began to think. This night, her pain, had been because of Spirit World's ineptitude, and that bothered him more than it should have. He was used to finding ways to skirt around their bureaucratic nonsense, but maybe another approach would work better. Spirit World owned a fair share of businesses in Living World. Maybe now would be a good time to invest.

…

The very next day found Taro once again face to face with Hata. The demon was standing outside his office, arms crossed, leaning against the building, looking perfectly innocuous. However, Taro was starting to wonder if it would be dangerous to continue thinking of him as such. The more he looked at him, the more he started to think he looked familiar.

"From my mistress," Hata said as Taro approached. He held out an envelope that Taro took, noting how carefully the other demon avoided touching hands.

"Thank you," Taro replied, moving past Hata without another word. When he'd closed the door behind him, he immediately opened the note, frowning at the single word written inside: _Tonight._ What did that mean? Needless to say, he got absolutely no work done that day.

When he finally made it to the shrine gates, it was dark, and no one was in sight. Standing there, he began to wonder if maybe he hadn't missed her when she stepped out of the shadow of one of the gate pillars. With a small smile, she walked toward him. He thought she still looked a bit pale, but maybe that was just a trick of the light. The moon seemed abnormally bright tonight.

"I want to show you something," she said, stopping in front of him. "As a thank you."

"For what?" he asked. For some reason, he found he couldn't look away from her brilliant blue eyes, like they were drawing him in, deeper and deeper.

She didn't respond, instead handing him a paper talisman. "Come on." She extended a hand to him, and he took it without hesitation, their fingers interlocking. Warm. She was so very warm, and suddenly, he was afraid of letting go. They walked together, Taro finally stepping foot on Takeda Shrine grounds for the first time. However, his gaze was trained on Asami, so he didn't even get to see the land he'd been striving to purchase for so long.

He couldn't have repeated the path they took. His awareness was remarkably low in the minutes it took to reach the bamboo grove they had stopped outside. When Asami started sliding through the stalks, he panicked, worried he would lose her if he did not follow quickly enough. He kept up, never letting her out of his sight, and when he stumbled into a clearing, he almost careened into her.

She dropped his hand, taking a few steps back and gesturing to the space they'd found themselves in. It was a secluded little cove, with a small pond inside. There was a creek that gently cascaded into the pool, the only thing disturbing the peaceful water as it made its way out of the place, off into the world somewhere. There were lotus blossoms floating on the surface, reeds along its edge. The grass around it was soft underfoot, and fireflies flickered in and out of existence, their light adding to the ethereal feel of this secret nook. Something told Taro that Asami spent a lot of time here. This was where she must go to escape...and she was sharing it with him.

"What do you think?" she asked, still with that slight smile. "I know it probably doesn't seem like much to you. Hata was telling me you're this big shot wealthy demon with massive amounts of money and servants and the like, so I figure this isn't very impressive. I just...I don't know, I wanted to show it off. I mean, it's important to me, and I-"

In a single stride, he'd stepped before her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. She gasped, surprised, before relaxing into his embrace, her hands fisting into the fabric on his back. When they broke the kiss, one of Taro's hands slid into her hair, his other one pressing her tightly against him. She buried her face in his chest, breathing him in, and he did the same, his forehead resting on the top of her head.

"Taro?" She pulled away slightly, looking up at him. Her face was flushed red, and it took every ounce of self-restraint he had not to kiss her again.

"What is it?" he asked, surprised at how different his voice sounded to his own ears. It was deeper, breathier, like he'd just run a marathon instead of kissing the woman who'd been in his head nonstop for months.

"I think I'm in love with you." A real smile broke across her face, and his breath caught in his throat at the sight.

"Me too," he breathed, kissing her again. She slid her fingers into his hair, and he sighed at her touch. When they broke apart again, several minutes later, Asami stepped out of his arms, but she took his hand instead, their fingers interlaced. She pulled him over to a patch of grass where they sat down together, her head resting on his shoulder, his head on top of hers. Time passed this way, as they stayed beside each other, listening to the creek flowing into the pond. The fireflies were still twinkling in the darkness, and Taro watched them dance as he tried to memorize this feeling in his chest, this overwhelming sense of warmth and joy and peace.

"Taro?"

"Hm?" Asami sat up, and Taro looked over at her, wondering what was on her mind.

"Demons don't have last names, do they?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "It's considered very human to don a surname."

"Huh. What a strange thing." She held his hand still, splaying his palm and tracing her fingers along the lines there. "I've always been taught that last names are very important. They denote pedigree, profession, the age of a family. It's been especially so since Mother has had me looking at potential marriage candidates."

Taro stiffened at her words, his hand almost sliding out of her grip, but she held fast, not meeting his eyes. Her gaze was focused on where they were still touching, and he thought she might be trembling just the slightest bit.

"Well," he said, trying his best to smile, "If you're looking for pedigree and the age of a family, I doubt there's a human family alive that can beat mine."

"Is that so?" she asked him, still not meeting his eyes.

"My mother is the ruler of an entire country in Demon World. Our family stretches back thousands of years." Taro hadn't thought about his mother and father in decades, a familiar dull ache settling into the back of his head at their mention.

"Ah, I see," Asami said, nodding her head. "I'm sure if we tell my mother that, she'll be fine." She looked up at him then, smiling. "I can just imagine the look on her face."

"That old hag could use a good shock," Taro grumbled. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. "Ah, that is…."

"It's all right," Asami said, shrugging. "I can't expect you to like her when she's been nothing but unkind to you. Sometimes, even I don't like her. However, she is my mother. I owe her my very existence."

"Then I've one thing to thank her for," Taro said, taking his free hand and sliding his fingers through Asami's hair.

"I don't recommend it," she replied. "You might lose your tongue for the effort."

He laughed, and gods it felt good to laugh, pulling her close again. "Then perhaps I'll just keep it to myself."

…

They spent every night they could together without arousing suspicion. Hata had taken to standing guard, though he very much did not like the task. Taro had come to understand that Hata didn't care what his mistress did so long as it made her happy, and while the demon hated Taro with a passion, he brought Asami joy.

Taro and Asami talked. They talked for hours on end until they fell asleep in each other's arms. He went out of his way to pass by the shrine when he could, and if she was out on exorcism business, she looked for him, the two occasionally managing to get lunch together. It wasn't perfect, but it was more than either of them could have hoped for, circumstances being what they were.

This continued on for several months, but, like all good things in Taro's life, it wasn't meant to last.

On a particularly bright night, Taro and Asami were on the brink of sleep when a sound like gunshot echoed around them: Hata, breaking a large amount of bamboo stalks...the signal that trouble was heading their way. Asami leapt to her feet, Taro doing the same, the couple looking around the clearing.

"It's her," Asami gasped. "Taro, you have to leave."

"Asami, I can't leave you alone with her." He grabbed hold of her hands, saying, "Come with me. We can hide somewhere."

"She'll find me," she whispered. "Please, you have to-"

Her words were cut off by another loud sound, bamboo snapping in large swathes as Asami Takeda's mother stepped into the clearing, a look of utter disgust on her face. "How dare you," she hissed, fury in her eyes. The temperature in the area dropped by several degrees, but it wasn't Taro's doing. That chill belonged to this human woman before him.

"You come onto my land, you seduce my poor, stupid child, and you expect to get away with it?" Mrs. Takeda asked.

"It's not his fault," Asami said, stepping in front of him. "I invited him in of my own volition. The blame is entirely mine."

"That's hardly true," Taro said, gripping Asami's hand and standing at her side. "I'm complicit in this imaginary crime."

"Don't touch her." Mrs. Takeda raised a hand, beads encircling her palm and wrist. "Get your filthy hands off my daughter!"

A pressure started to push in all around Taro. He could hear, could feel the blood roaring in his ears as his skin started to ache. It felt like he was going to explode from the pain. It wasn't until Asami raised her own hand, facing her mother, that the pressure ceased, and the smell of cherry blossoms and tatami saturated the air.

"You dare defy me, child?" Asami's mother snarled.

"I refuse to let you hurt him," the daughter growled in return. "His existence in my life has made it bearable in a way nothing has before, and I won't let you take that from me."

"You foolish, foolish girl!" Mrs. Takeda increased the pressure, raising another hand, this one holding a talisman. Asami faltered, taking a step back before retrieving her own talisman, pushing back. Her mother's foot slid a few inches, but she planted it firmly, the two facing each other down. The wind picked up around them, scattering the fireflies, shredding the lotus blossoms and leaving score marks in the bamboo. None of it touched Taro, however, as he realized that Asami was shielding him somehow. Not only was she standing against her mother, but she was splitting her energy while doing it. His being here was putting her in danger.

"I love you, Taro," she said, looking back at him. There were tears in her eyes, fear written all over her face. Moving her free hand toward him, he felt the wind shift, lifting him.

"Asami!" he cried. "I love you too!" It was all he could manage before she sent him flying, hard, and fast, all the way to the entrance of the shrine. When he landed, he slid, skinning his elbows and tearing the back of his clothing. It took him a few stunned seconds to realize what had just happened. He leapt to his feet, staring at the gate he'd been flung through, his entire body sore.

 _Asami. Asami. Asami._ He stepped forward, not entirely sure what he planned to do, but the moment his foot would have crossed into the shrine, it was instead repelled backward. Reaching a hand out, the same thing happened. Slowly, it occurred to him what this meant: he couldn't get into the shrine.

Terror slid through him like sludge, filling his lungs, plugging up his veins, clouding his mind. The look on Asami's face when she'd sent him away was enough to make him sick with worry, and the thought that he couldn't even reach her when she might be in danger was driving him insane. He rammed his shoulder into the barrier, getting pushed back a few steps. He did it again and again, ignoring the bruise forming, the soreness of his muscles, the tears in his eyes.

"Stop that," a voice hissed, making him jump. He looked up to see Hata staring at him from the other side, a dark look in his eyes. "You're not going to save anyone that way."

"Hata," Taro gasped, his voice choked with so many emotions. "Hata, she found Asami. She-"

"I know," Hata said, his expression dark. "Taro, it would be best if you did not come here for a little while."

"W-what?" What was Hata saying? It didn't make sense.

"We have no way of knowing just what that woman has planned for Asami. Until I can assess the situation, don't come back. I will find you."

"Hata," Taro said, pressing a hand against the barrier. It tried to repel him, but he forced it to stay through sheer force of spirit. "Hata, I can't lose her."

"Then steel yourself," Hata replied. "A storm is coming." With that, he left, and Taro was completely and utterly alone.

When he made it home, he took an incredibly long bath, his muscles aching and burning in the hot water. That night, he forced himself to sleep, Asami's terrified face and Hata's words echoing in his mind. _A storm is coming._ And he and Hata would be the stormbringers.

…

A week passed. An agonizing, heartbreaking, gut wrenching week. Taro threw himself into his work, as hard as he could, in order to distract himself from the void in his chest. Asami needed him, but all he could do was wait for a demon who may never come. Why would he? Hata hated Taro. All Taro could do was hope he hated Mrs. Takeda more. It was poor consolation, and he tried not to think about it when possible.

One night, when Taro was at home, pouring over work, a servant knocked on the door to his office.

"What is it?" Taro asked, not looking up from his papers.

"A Master Hata to see you," the imp demon told him.

Taro knocked his desk over when he got to his feet, his eyes locking with Hata's as the other demon stepped into the room. "Leave us," Taro said to the imp who bowed his way out of the room, closing the door behind him. Silence fell, thick and heavy as Taro stared at Hata, mentally begging the man to speak.

After an unbearable amount of time, Hata pulled a small, rounded piece of reflective glass from his pocket, passing it to Taro. He took it, looking at the smooth, polished surface. When Hata tapped the back, the glass rippled, slowly showing an image. It was...Asami. She was laying on the floor of a dark, dingy room, her clothes torn and filthy, bags under her eyes. She looked thin, like she hadn't eaten since he left her.

Wordlessly, Taro passed the glass back to Hata, raking a hand through his hair. After a long moment, he said, "She's locked away?"

"In a room deep in the heart of the shrine. Mrs. Takeda has reinforced it with wards, incense, talismans, barriers, everything she can manage in order to keep Asami trapped." Hata said the words like he was reciting a laundry list, but Taro could see how tense the man was, his hands balled into fists. "Asami is far more powerful than her mother when physically and mentally sound, but at present, she is neither. We're going to need to get her out."

"How?" Taro asked. "I'm not a strong demon. My ice powers won't be enough." He held up a hand, palm up, an ice shard forming there. It was hard not to imagine plunging it straight through Mrs. Takeda's heart, but demons killing humans was still illegal, even if the opposite wasn't true. Spirit World was full of cold-hearted assholes.

"I have a plan," Hata told him. "You may not be strong, but I am." At this, Taro took a step back, wondering if his suspicions about Hata were about to be proven correct. Hata pressed a closed right hand into an open left one, holding it in front of him in a salute Taro had seen many times before. Suddenly, the air around them was supercharged with demonic energy, so much that it bowled Taro back, making him collide with his overturned desk.

That power. "That's S Class," Taro said, looking up at Hata in awe and fear. "Who...who are you?"

"I used to serve as one of Raizen's men," Hata said. "However, I chose to live here, in Living World, in order to protect Mistress Asami. By suppressing my demonic power, I've been able to stay here, hidden from Spirit World."

"Then," Taro said, "by revealing yourself like this, you've given away your position."

"Being forced to return to Demon World is a small price to pay for her happiness," Hata replied.

Taro got to his feet, brushing himself off as Hata's energy relaxed a bit. "You love her," Taro stated.

At that, Hata smiled. "She's like a daughter to me," he told the ice apparition. "She's so young, so headstrong and foolish. However, her heart is in the right place, and I want her to be happy." He took a step forward, saying, "I need your help to save her, but on one condition."

"Anything," Taro replied, unhesitating.

"Promise me you'll keep her safe. That she'll never want for anything and that you'll never leave her alone."

"I promise," Taro replied.

"Good. Then let's get started."

…

It wasn't a foolproof plan. One single slip up from either of them would ruin everything, but this was the best they could come up with. Taro just had to hope it would work.

Snow was unusual for early fall, especially when it had been far above freezing previously. The clouds overhead were so thick they blocked out the moon entirely, and the world was plunged into deep darkness. It wasn't a large snowstorm. Taro hadn't exercised his demonic powers in a very long time, so he didn't quite have the strength for that. Not that he needed it. This snow was localized over the shrine, dusting the paths, the grass, the trees, in a thin layer of white powder.

Hata stood at the front gate, waiting for Taro to arrive. Once the demons were together, Hata said, "Are you sure you can handle this?"

"Plenty sure," Taro replied. "What's a little kidnapping between friends?"

"That might be the most entertaining thing you've ever said." Hata smirked, and Taro rolled his eyes as the other demon pressed his hands against the barrier, ripping it apart like it was made of tissue. "In and out," Hata said, as a particularly harsh gust of cold air hit them. "More snow."

"Right," Taro said. He'd committed a map of the shrine to memory, including where Asami was being kept, so once the way was clear, he started to run. The snow was coming down hard now, a veritable whiteout, but that had never been a problem for the ice demon. He was snow and ice and everything that came with it. Even as the drifts began to pile up to his knees, he walked through them as though they did not exist.

It was getting colder and colder, so much so that it would be hard for normal humans to function. Thankfully, Asami wasn't a normal human. Unfortunately, neither was her mother. The hope was that Hata could draw her attention while Taro found Asami. With any luck, the sheer amount of snow would be unsurpassable by anyone other than himself.

When Taro found the right building, he began the long, painful process of ripping down the wards and talismans. They burned his hands, even through the gloves he was wearing, but after a while, the skin was so black he could no longer feel the pain. His hands might take months to recover, if they ever did, but he'd been prepared for this.

Once enough of them were ripped away that he could safely enter, he did so, the small outbuilding setting him on edge. It was rife with spiritual energy, both familiar and foreign to him. It was so dark inside, and it took his eyes a few seconds to adjust, as he whispered, "Asami?"

A whimpering sound caught his ear, and he turned, eyes wide as he saw her, cowering in a corner. She looked every bit as miserable as what Hata had showed him, and he had to suppress the murderous rage that flowed through him for her mother. He raced over to her, saying, "Asami? Asami, it's me, Taro." She didn't respond, just shivered from the cold and from fear. "Hey." He pulled her slowly, so slowly, into his arms, wishing he didn't feel so cold. "I'm here, Asami."

Her gaze swept over him, and he let out a relieved sigh as her eyes focused on him and a spark of recognition flitted across them. "T-taro," she whispered, smiling slightly.

 _Thank all the gods._ "Asami, I'm going to get you out of here, okay? And then you can stay with me."

She nodded, resting her head against his chest. "You're so warm," she mumbled, and he almost laughed. Was he warmer than the frigid air? "It's fall, but it's so cold."

"You know," he told her, scooping her up and cradling her in his arms as he made his way to the door, "you never asked me what kind of demon I am."

"It didn't seem important," she said, her voice soft. "You never asked me what kind of human I am, did you?"

He smiled, saying, "I don't think that's quite the same." When they stepped out into the night, the snow was up to his waist. He carried Asami through it as though it didn't exist, dialing back the snow that was falling so that it wouldn't accumulate on Asami and freeze her any further than she already must have been.

"Snow this time of year," she said, holding out a hand as though she hadn't a care in the world. A snowflake settled on her fingertip, and she smiled softly. "I love it."

"Me too," Taro replied as they walked as fast as Taro could, further and further from this place. He made it to the front gates, where Hata was waiting when a gust of wind hit him, trying to push him back. "Dammit," he grunted. "So close."

"Come on!" Hata shouted over the wind, reaching out for them.

Taro tried to pick up his feet, but the sudden gale whipping around him was too strong. Mrs. Takeda must have noticed Asami was missing. The game was over, and he'd been so very close. _I can't let her have Asami. I have to…._

As quickly as it had come, the gusts ceased, making Taro stumble forward, barely managing to keep his footing. Asami had her hands wrapped tightly around something, and he could just make out the scent of cherry blossoms and straw. Despite how exhausted she must have been, Asami Takeda still had the strength to fight back.

Taro ran as best he could, almost colliding with Hata on the other side. Hata closed the barrier at last, and the three left the premises, Hata taking Asami so that they could run. When they finally stopped, they were at Taro's home and so far beyond tired that they all would have crashed immediately if there wasn't a bit more work to be done.

Taro laid Asami in a room of her own, letting her sleep before he returned to Hata in the entryway. "She's going to find us," Taro said, his body aching with exhaustion.

"I'll take care of that as long as I can," Hata replied. "I'm sure I'll get a visit from Prince Koenma soon, asking that I return to Demon World. Until then, please, permit me to serve you and my mistress."

"Of course," Taro replied. His dislike of Hata had faded away a long time ago, and after tonight, he knew he would trust the man with his own life. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me unless we get away with this," Hata told him. "You're going to have to marry her very very soon. It's the only way you can keep her here without her family interfering."

"Right," Taro said. "I have every intention of doing so."

"One last thing before I fall to sleep where I stand," Hata said, reaching in his pocket and handing Taro a thick, folded piece of paper.

Taro unfolded it, raising an eyebrow at Hata. In his hands was the deed to Takeda Shrine and its land. "How did you get this?"

"Consider it a wedding present," he said, completely sidestepping the question. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He bowed before walking away, disappearing into the dark of the hallway.

Regarding the paper for a long moment, he leaned against the wall, sliding down it until he was sitting on the floor. That would likely be where he slept that night, as he didn't have the strength to get to his feet again. What he did have, however, was a brief respite. In his long, miserable life, he now had a bright spot, a chance at happiness.

All he could hope was that it would last.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm not going to lie, everything about this story was a surprise to me. I just told myself one day I wanted to know two things: How Taro and Asami got together and what kind of people they would have been back then. I didn't even recognize this Taro, and I'm sure a lot of you are feeling the same way. Looking at this just makes me think of how badly Asami's death messed him up. This only broke my heart a little x.x

There's so much to parse through here, so I'm not even going to try. There's a metric eff ton of foreshadowing and a lot of information. I'm always game to answer any questions this monster of a chapter might bring up, as long as they aren't spoilery.

I also wanted to clarify something someone brought up about the last chapter. Hide is attracted to violence, whether inflicted by himself or someone else. So, Asaki killing someone was attractive because it was violent. It had nothing to do with _her_ committing the act and everything to do with the act itself. Seeing her covered in blood at the end essentially flipped a switch in his head. He had to see it again and again and again. Bonus points if he gets to be the cause.

Thanks to everyone for reading, and a special thanks to **YourHomeGirlJen, YukinaBlueRose, Lestatsgirl15,** and a guest for the reviews!


	54. Graduation

Graduation ceremonies are apparently just an awful lot of pomp and circumstance. After the student council president gives his speech, I have to go up there and do the same. Somehow, despite all of those days I missed and all of the homework I had to make up, I still made the best grades, which apparently warrants a speech. If I'd known that, I would have messed up a few questions on my last final exam.

Standing in front of my classmates, I can spot Kuwabara, Keiko, and Yusuke in the crowd. I don't know how Yusuke did it, but somehow he got good enough grades to just barely graduate. Apparently, he's going to do like Kai and join the workforce right away. I remember him saying something about starting a ramen stand, which actually sounds kind of fun.

I'm not one for speeches, but I've seen my father give countless ones at banquets, parties, business meetings, and the like. He always effuses confidence, even when he has no idea what he's talking about, which is startlingly often.

When I finish talking, I notice two things as I look out at the applauding crowd. The first is a shock of red hair sitting in the back; I didn't know he would be here. I didn't even tell him today was graduation day. The second is a man dressed in a suit, surrounded by a few other suited men, all radiating demon energy. Great. I really wanted to see my father today…. Totally.

The rest of the ceremony was dull, a few more speeches and grabbing diplomas which seemed strange to me. I'd done a fair bit of research on how these things worked before I ever came to living world, and I'd been under the impression diplomas belonged to high school and college students. Then again, education is only compulsory through middle school here.

When the whole thing is over, we file outside, let loose into the crowd of waiting family and friends. I sigh, knowing I've got to face my father. I can sense his energy, and so I start to make my way over to him when one of the guys in Yusuke's class stops me.

"A-Anno!" he shouts.

"Yes?" I think his name is Saito?

"I like you. Will you go out with me?"

"Um." I stare at him, eyes wide at how red his face is. "I-I'm sorry, but no." His face falls, and I sputter, "I'm flattered, really, it's just…."

"It's fine," he says, sighing. "Figured it was worth a shot. Good luck, Anno."

"You too."

Another few steps and I'm accosted by another guy confessing to me. What is going on? I deny him too before making a dash for my father. As I approach him, his guards take a few steps back, giving us "privacy", I guess. It's not like it matters. No touching father-daughter moments here.

"It took you ten minutes to get over here," he says to me the moment I'm in earshot. He looks bored, and I sigh.

"I had to say hello to a few classmates," I lie. He doesn't need to know about my love life or lack thereof.

"That speech of yours was weak as well."

"Thank you for your input," I snap, grinding my teeth.

"It lacked motion and purpose. You just talked at them for two minutes." He's disappointed. Why am I not surprised?

"They're junior high kids," I tell him. "It was just an arbitrary speech."

"That doesn't matter," he barks. "You never know who is listening. If you do a poor job, it reflects negatively on yourself. Think about what you're doing before you only give it half of your effort. If you approach the rest of your life that way, you'll never amount to anything."

I want to argue, but he's right. I didn't give that speech nearly as much attention as I could have, and to anyone who cared, I'm sure it showed. "I'm sorry," I say, bowing my head a little. "I'll put more effort into my endeavors in the future."

"Prove to me that you're serious about this school thing," he says as I hear footsteps approaching. I can feel Kurama's energy, and I wonder if his timing is intentional. Those fox ears of his probably heard every word we exchanged.

"Yes, sir," I say to my father as Kurama stops at my side.

"Anno." Kurama offers a _very_ small bow to my father who barely inclines his head in return.

"You attend school, do you not?" Father asks, his voice dripping with disdain, not even bothering a greeting.

"I do," Kurama replies. The tension in the air is almost palpable.

"Where?"

"Meiou High School."

The sound Taro Anno emits at this is something between a hiss and a click, like he can't decide if he's pissed or just offended. He levels a gaze at me that makes my blood run cold as the air chills for an instant. I swallow hard.

"I sincerely hope," he begins slowly, his voice low, "that you did not make a choice that will affect your future because of some _boy_." He snarls the last word, even though we both know that Kurama's probably older than him.

"Thank you, Father. Do you really think I would do something like that? I'm not stupid. My future is my own, and no one is going to carry me through it but me."

He's quiet for a moment, the look he's giving almost appraising. "No, I didn't imagine you'd be that foolish," he says at last. Reaching into the pocket inside his suit jacket, he pulls out an envelope, handing it to me. "Congratulations." Then, he turns, gesturing to his guards who fall into place as he leaves.

I watch him go, sighing. "Son of a bitch," I growl, digging my hand into the base of my braid and yanking hard.

"My timing was poor, I suppose," Kurama says.

"Could have been better, though I doubt it mattered all that much. If he was going to berate me, he probably wouldn't have minded doing it on that stage."

"Congratulations, by the way. I liked your speech."

"You might be the only one," I reply. "How did you even know this was happening?"

"Kuwabara told me." He gives me a cheeky smile, and I elbow him, turning my attention to the envelope in my hands.

"I wonder what this is." Ripping open the paper, I pull out a check for several hundred thousand yen, sighing. "Cute." Something falls out of the envelope, and I bend over to pick it up, eyes going wide.

"A memory photo." The words sound weird in my mouth, but I'm beyond shocked. In my hands is a photo of...my mother. She's wearing a shrine maiden's hakama and is smiling brightly.

Photographs didn't exist when my mother was alive, so my father would have had to go to a demon who specialized in creating photos from memories. They aren't cheap, but money has never been an object to him.

Tears blur my vision, and I swipe at them, wanting to look at my mother's face longer. My human form looks just like her, though her hair is a little darker, her face a little rounder. I was so little when she died, so I don't remember what she looks like, but the resemblance is unmistakable. This is Asami Anno.

"That bastard," I grunt as I hold back my tears. "I swear, I'm going to do something to make him proud of me. One of these days, he'll come to see me, and he'll be _proud_."

I pass the photo to Kurama who looks at it for a long moment before saying, "You look a lot like her."

Nodding, I wipe my eyes. "Stupid father acting like a father for the first time in his stupid life."

"Asaki!" Kurama and I turn to see Yusuke, Keiko, and Kuwabara heading our way. "Yo, Kurama."

Kurama smiles. "Congratulations."

"Bet you didn't think I could do it," he says, rubbing a finger under his nose.

"I'm still not convinced you didn't bribe somebody," Kuwabara replies.

"With what?" he asks. "My finger up their ass?"

"Gross," I say as Keiko hits him.

"Why do you have to be so vulgar?" she snaps.

"Why do _you_ have to be so violent?" Yusuke retorts. "Geez. You're going to give me a concussion. I still have to use this head of mine."

"For what?" I ask.

"Look, just because I'm not going to high school doesn't mean I won't be doing something with myself."

"Yeah, sleeping all day," Kuwabara says. Yusuke puts Kuwabara in a headlock, and I shake my head, smiling at their antics.

"Asaki, who's that a picture of?" Keiko asks, drawing my attention from the guys.

"My mom," I say, passing it to her. "My father came by and dropped it off for me."

"Wow, asshole actually pretending to be a dad?" Yusuke says, letting Kuwabara go and leaning over Keiko's shoulder to look at the photo.

"Briefly," I say.

"She's pretty," Keiko says.

"Thank God you got your human looks from her and not your dad," Yusuke adds. "Though I'm still trying to figure out why you have red hair like this."

"You and me both," I say, taking the photo back and slipping it into the envelope again.

"Oh!" Keiko claps her hands together. "If we don't hurry, we're going to be late!"

"What for?" Kurama asks.

"We're going to meet up with my friends from the bakery and Botan to go cherry blossom viewing," I tell him. "You're welcome to join us if you want."

"That sounds delightful," he replies.

"I still don't get why we have to go stare at a bunch of flowers," Yusuke grumbles.

"You know what, Urameshi, you don't have to come," Kuwabara snaps. "Would it kill you to get in touch with your sensitive side sometimes?"

"You're always in touch with yours," Yusuke mumbles.

"What was that?" he growls.

"Nothing." Yusuke turns away from us, whistling innocently as he starts to head off campus.

"Stupid Urameshi," Kuwabara grunts. "Thinks everything's a joke." Kuwabara stomps after him, and I sigh.

"Boys," Keiko grunts.

"Seriously," I add. Kurama clears his throat, and I poke him in the side. "I think you're too old to count."

"How old are you, Kurama?" Keiko asks as we make our way after the others.

"Trade secret," he replies.

"I'll have to use that the next time someone asks me," I say, changing into my human form.

"How old are you like this?" Keiko asks, and I appreciate that she's gotten completely used to the supernatural to the point that my changing forms doesn't even faze her.

"Fifteen," I say. "I believe. It's a little hard to tell since I only age as a human when I am a human."

"You're a couple hundred years old, but you've only spent fifteen years like that?"

"Living with demons makes it unbearable to be human," I say. "Besides, it was safer to be a demon. Nowadays, I switch so often that I think I'll age at a somewhat more normal pace."

"Demons!" Keiko says, shaking her head. "It's so hard to wrap my mind around."

"Don't trouble yourself about it," Kurama says. "You keep up remarkably well."

"Thanks," she says, smiling.

We walk on, eventually meeting up with Kana, Eiji, Haruka, and Kai, the latter two of whom are holding hands.

"Yo!" Haruka shouts, waving at us. "You're late!"

"Blame those guys," Yusuke says, pointing at Keiko, Kurama, and me. "They just kept blabbering instead of walking."

"Thank you, Yusuke," I deadpan. "Also, you two." I point at Haruka and Kai. "It's about time."

"Bite me," Haruka replies.

I introduce Keiko to everyone and my boys to Kana and Haruka's boys, and then we set off to find the best spot for sitting under the cherry blossoms. Kuwabara, Haruka, and Yusuke are having an intense argument on where the best spot in the city is, and Eiji and Kana pretend to make bets. There's something funny about someone as quiet as Kana placing bets on her friends.

In the end, those three manage to agree on a spot near the river, and we set out the blanket and the food Kana and Eiji made.

"You know, you should have gotten more help," Haruka tells the pair.

"It was fun," Eiji replies, smiling. "Kana's really good at stuff like this." Kana blushes, looking down at her lap with a smile.

"Hey, where's Botan?" Yusuke asks me.

"She told me she'd be here," I reply. "Maybe she forgot."

"No, no, I'm here!" a voice shouts from somewhere behind us. I look over my shoulder to see Botan running over, dressed in a Sarayashiki uniform. "Sorry, I'm late, everyone. Koenma had me running errands until the last minute. I think he's just upset he wasn't invited."

"No room for Pacifier Breath," Yusuke says, stretching out to take up more space. Keiko swats at him and he grins.

"Pacifier Breath?" Haruka asks.

"You don't want to know," I reply before introducing Botan.

"Pleasure to meet you all!" she says, settling down beside me. "How was your graduation ceremony?"

"Boring," I say. "Although, I thought my father was going to attack Kurama for a few seconds there."

"Ooh." Botan shakes her head. "Your father isn't a very pleasant person, is he?"

"Understatement of my life." Just then, a gust of wind shakes the trees, causing a cascade of cherry blossom petals to rain down around us. I watch, fascinated, as the petals swirl around Kurama, and it makes me wonder if he isn't doing it on purpose or if the petals don't just have an affinity for him. Either way, it's enchanting, and I find myself staring at him until he looks over at me. He gives me a smile, flicking a finger into the air. A petal flies toward me, landing on my nose, and I sneeze.

The petal falls into my hand, and I tuck it into my pocket, smiling. Despite a few hiccups, today has been a good day. I graduated top of my class from school, and I'm viewing the cherry blossoms with friends for the first time in my life. I'm so happy it's like I'm floating on clouds. Maybe clouds of cherry blossoms even.

"Hey, why didn't shorty come?" Kuwabara asks, bringing me back to the present.

"If you mean Hiei, I haven't seen him in a while," I say. "He left two days after the whole tussle with Sensui, and he hasn't been back since."

"This isn't really his sort of activity either," Kurama chimes in, a mild smile on his face. "Although, I'm sure he'd be happy to know you were thinking of him."

"Ew, Hiei happy," Kuwabara grunts. "I don't think he does happy."

"Oh, he does," Kurama says, "he's just not very good at showing it."

"The last time Hiei was happy about something, he tried to burn down my house," I say, shaking my head. Haruka and the others who know nothing about demons are staring at me with concern, so I say, "I mean, he hasn't succeeded yet."

"What kind of friends do you keep?" Haruka asks, eyeing the others around me as though they too might try to set things on fire.

"Only the weird ones," I reply, grinning. Haruka shakes her head, leaning her shoulder against Kai's. He blushes a little, but he looks happy.

"By the way, Asaki," Kurama says, "do you have plans for later today?"

"Mm-mm. Why?"

"My mother wants to have you over. She was planning a celebratory dinner for your graduation."

"Kurama's got a date with Asaki!" Yusuke crows.

"More like his mother does," I sigh, leveling a look at him.

"How come you never invite me over?" he says to Kurama. "I want to see your house."

"Wow, Urameshi, even I've been over there," Kuwabara says, grinning.

"Seriously? Why am I the odd man out?"

"Unlike you," Kurama says, "Kuwabara actually cared to study for entrance exams and his finals. He came over a few times so I could help him."

"That's discrimination," Yusuke says.

"I'm impressed you know what that word means," I deadpan.

"Hey, watch it. I could kick your ass."

"Right now, definitely." I give him a cheeky grin that he returns with a middle finger.

"Well, if Asaki's coming to Kurama's, I want to go too," Yusuke says, crossing his arms.

"You're more than welcome," the demon in question replies.

"Are you sure your mom won't mind?" Kuwabara asks.

"You did all graduate," Kurama says. "And she rather likes all of you."

"Awesome! Party at Kurama's!" Yusuke says, fist-pumping the air.

"I thought his name was Shuichi," Haruka interjects, drawing everyone's attention.

"It is," Kurama says. "Kurama is a nickname I've been given. I'd tell you the story, but it's not a very good one."

 _That's a lie_. I wonder what these guys would think if they knew the truth behind his names. I run a hand through my hair, smiling when a few petals fall out. There's just something magical about sitting under cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

After a while, the conversation sort of lulls, everyone full and sleepy. Botan is resting her head on my shoulder, and Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama are playing some kind of game with the unused utensils.

"So, Asaki." I look over at Haruka, careful not to jostle Botan too much. The blue-haired girl looks tired, and if she wants to sleep on me, I don't mind.

"What's up?"

"How many guys asked you out today?"

Botan sits up at this, looking at me with wide eyes. "Were you asked out?"

"Yeah, but how did you know, Haru?" I ask, surprised.

"It's graduation day," Haruka says. "It's the last chance for secret admirers to come out of the woodwork. There's no way you weren't confessed to at least once."

"Twice," I say.

"Me too," Keiko replies. "The poor guys were so scared."

"Aren't you two just heartbreakers!" Botan giggles. "Did you turn them all down, the poor things?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's the last time I'll ever see them. If they didn't have the courage before, then why should I accept them now?"

"Harsh," Eiji says. "There's a lot of stress on us guys, you know?"

"Uh-huh," Kana mumbles. "You shouted at me to ask me out, so I guess that's true."

"Did you really?" Haruka gushes, grinning. "I wonder why Kana said yes."

"He looked so scared," she replies, a tiny smile on her face.

"Poor Eiji. Well, I was asked out by four guys!"

"You go, Haruka!" I cheer. "Was Kai one of them?"

"Actually, she asked me out," Kai says.

"I can see that," I say, laughing as Haruka punches Kai in the shoulder.

"Moron told me he's had a crush on me _forever_ ," she says.

"I could have told you that," I reply, smiling. "It was obvious to anyone with eyes."

"Like you have room to talk," she retorts, an impish grin on her face.

"Wait, Asaki's got a crush on somebody?" I watch Yusuke chuck a fork at Kuwabara before flopping over on his stomach, resting his head in his hands, and staring up at me. "Spill."

I snort, shaking my head. "As if. It's none of your business."

"That's fine," Yusuke replies, rolling over onto his back. "I already know who it is."

"Enlighten me," I drawl.

He sits up, smirking. "It's Kuwabara!"

"Totally," I say, shaking my head. "Because it would definitely make sense for me to have a crush on someone I know for a fact is in love with someone else."

"Yeah, Urameshi, that's not funny. I know I'm awesome and all, but Asaki's got more sense than to like me when she knows she doesn't have a chance," Kuwabara says.

"Thanks," I grunt.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Kuwabara sputters. "I mean, you're pretty and all, and you're smart and stuff too, but...you know."

"I'm teasing," I say, smiling. "I know I can't hold a candle to Yukina in your eyes."

"Who's Yukina?" Haruka asks, and Kuwabara gets that goofy look on his face whenever he gets to talk about the ice apparition.

It's late afternoon when we finally decide to part ways, Haruka and Kana needing to head into work. I walk with the two of them over to the biggest cherry tree in the area, and we all sigh at once.

"It's the last day, isn't it?" Haruka asks.

"Didn't want it to ever come," Kana adds.

"I mean, it's not like we won't see each other again," I say, forcing a weak smile.

"No, but it won't be like this."

We stand there in silence for a moment, nothing but the rustle of wind through the trees and the soft sound of cherry blossoms falling to the ground around us.

"Let's do this again next year." Haruka holds out her hands to us, and we grab on. "Same time, same place, regardless of what's going on, let's meet here again."

"I'm in," I say, smiling.

"Me too," Kana whispers, tears in her eyes. Haruka pulls us in for a group hug, and I hold the two of them tightly. Tomorrow, the three of us will be quitting the bakery so we can focus on school. Mrs. Tendou knows, and while she doesn't want us to leave, she understands. I'm going to miss her, and these two before me, so much.

When we break the embrace, Haruka points at me. "I want to hear you say it at least once."

"Say what?"

"How you really feel about Shuichi."

I laugh, my face a little red. "I love Shuichi so much it hurts."

"Woo!" Haruka claps her hands, and Kana laughs, the pair of them smiling at me. "When we come here next year, I want to see you two together, do I make myself clear?"

"I make no promises," I reply, "but I certainly wouldn't mind."

We embrace one last time before they walk away from me, making their way over to their boyfriends who give me a wave. I return the gesture, but I can't move from where I stand. My heart is hurting as I watch them leave, wondering where they'll go, what they'll do. Kana will still be in town, so I might get to see her, but Haruka's going to a different city.

"Next year," I mumble, wiping the tears from my eyes as I hear footsteps approach behind me. "Remember, forever ago at your house when you were telling me about friendship?" I ask as Kurama steps up beside me. He nods, and I say, "There was something really important you forgot to tell me."

"What was that?"

"How hard it is to say goodbye."

We stand there for a few moments, just the two of us. The only thing that's keeping me here in this spot is the thought that Kurama promised me he wouldn't leave me without telling me. If not for that, I think I might not have been able to stem my tears. Saying goodbye to Haruka and Kana is hard. Saying goodbye to Kurama would be impossible.

"Come on," he says at last, giving me a small smile. "The others are waiting."

"Right, right," I reply, smacking my cheeks with both my hands. "Okay, I'm good." We head back over to where Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan are waiting.

"I'm heading back to Spirit World, but I wanted to make sure to congratulate you one last time," Botan says, smiling at me and taking my hands.

"Thanks, Botan," I reply, smiling in return. "See you around."

"Goodbye, everyone!" With that, she hops on her oar, suddenly wearing her pink kimono again, and flies off.

"I suppose that's our cue," Kurama says before leading the way to his house. I walk beside him, Yusuke and Kuwabara bringing up the rear. We walk for a little while before Kurama says, "So, about this person you have a crush on."

I stumble, managing to keep moving and not trip. "I'm sorry?" I say, my voice higher than normal.

"Why is it Yusuke seems to know who this person is, but I don't?" he asks, not looking at me, his eyes trained on what's in front of us.

"Whatever Yusuke thinks he knows, I have no idea," I manage, swallowing hard. "I sure as hell didn't tell him anything."

"I don't suppose you'd tell me, then?"

 _It's you, stupid._ Yeah, that's cute. Like I could say that. It would be so easy to just let the words slip out and ruin everything. "I don't suppose it's any of your business either," I reply, folding my hands behind my back. "Just because you're my best friend doesn't mean I have to tell you all of my secrets."

He nods, smiling down at me. "I suppose that's true. Although, perhaps I could help you if you told me."

"The last thing I want," I say, "is any help. I'll make this work or fail on my own. It means more that way." Sighing, I glance up at him, saying, "Thanks for the offer, though."

"Of course," he replies. "Although, perhaps it's better this way. Your soulmate might not approve of my meddling."

I raise an eyebrow, smiling. "My soulmate, huh? What is it you always say? I wouldn't date someone who didn't like my friends."

He smiles warmly, and I grin as a voice behind me says, "Yo, lovebirds! How much farther is it?"

"I sincerely hope," I growl through gritted teeth, "that we have very patient soulmates who can put up with our ridiculous friends." Turning around, walking backward, I say, "Few dozen miles. We'll get there by morning."

"Excuse me?" Yusuke says.

"The more you keep yapping, the longer it takes."

"Like you have room to talk. You've been blabbing non-stop with Kurama this whole time."

"Sorry if I've offended The Great Urameshi," I say. "Do you feel left out?"

"As if. I just don't know how Kurama puts up with it. You're like a naggy wife."

"And you're like an annoying neighbor who sticks his nose in everyone else's business," I tell him, turning back around and facing the front. "Kurama hasn't complained yet, so you can take your two cents back. I don't want it."

A few seconds later, something hits me in the back of the head. I stop, listening to the sound of something falling to the sidewalk, turning to find two 1-yen coins on the ground. I narrow my eyes at Yusuke who's laughing hysterically.

"Grow up, Urameshi," Kuwabara says, picking up the change. "Sorry, Asaki."

I hold out my hand, and Kuwabara frowns before putting the coins in my hand. I pull back and swing, chucking them as hard as I can at Yusuke. They hit him in the face, and everyone stares at me, eyes wide. "I hope that leaves a good impression," I say, grinning.

"Dammit, Asaki," Yusuke shouts. I stick my tongue out at him before I take off running. I hear him behind me, saying, "I've got a pocket full of change that wants your face on it."

"Pass!" I shout over my shoulder, grinning as we approach Kurama's house. I run up to the front door, panting, and give myself a few seconds to catch my breath before Yusuke is at my side. He opens his mouth to say something as the front door opens.

Mrs. Minamino is standing there, a startled look on her face. "Why, hello," she says, smiling. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Hi, Mrs. Minamino," I reply, bowing a little. "Sorry to intrude. Shuichi invited me. Yusuke decided to tag along."

"Heya, ma'am," Yusuke says, wiping some seat from his forehead. "Don't let her lie to you. He invited me too."

"Of course," she says, smiling. "The more the merrier. And is that Kazuma I see with him as well?"

Yusuke and I share a look, and I know we're thinking the same thing: _She calls him Kazuma?_ "It is indeed," I tell her, smiling. "We're sorry to intrude. Were you on your way somewhere?"

"Just to pick up a few things for dinner. I'm glad I didn't miss all of you or I wouldn't have gotten nearly enough."

Kurama and Kuwabara come up behind us, and Kurama says, "I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't think you'd mind a full house."

"Never," she replies, a gentle smile on her face. "The more the merrier. Make yourselves at home. I'll be back in a little bit." She heads off, leaving the four of us to her home.

"You two are ridiculous," Kurama says, shaking his head as he steps inside, taking off his shoes in the entryway.

"You're only just now noticing?" Yusuke asks as the rest of us follow suit. "I'm pretty damn sure I've been this way since the day we met."

"Same," I reply. "At least Yusuke's getting a little better. I think his stupid is rubbing off on me, though."

"Say it again," Yusuke growls, making Kurama sigh.

"Can the pair of you manage to be in the same room together, or do I have to separate you?" he asks, sounding exhausted already.

"You're like a mom, Kurama," Kuwabara says. "You guys had better do what he says."

"Kiss ass," Yusuke grunts, as we follow Kurama into his living room.

"You know what, Urameshi-"

" _You know what, Urameshi_ ," Yusuke mocks, rolling his eyes. "Get over it, you giant dork." He looks around the room, saying, "Hey, video games." Walking over to the TV, Yusuke starts fiddling with things, Kuwabara at his side, grumbling the entire time.

Kurama sits on the floor, and I join him as the other two start the game. As the words "Goblin City" appear on the screen, I feel Kurama stiffen beside me. That's when I remember. This is the game that Kurama played when he was forced to kill Amanuma. Just because everything ended up okay doesn't mean it doesn't still bother him.

"Guys-"

I'd intended to ask them to play something else, but Kurama grabs my hand, cutting me off. I look over at him, and he shakes his head. He's trembling the tiniest bit, so when he tries to take his hand from mine, I hold it tighter. Sighing, he looks a little relieved as he turns to watch our friends. I hold fast to his hand, even after the trembling subsides, wanting to provide whatever comfort I can.

"Oh, shit!" Yusuke gasps after ten minutes or so. He pauses the game, turning to look at Kurama. I drop the fox demon's hand immediately as Yusuke says, "Sorry, Kurama. I wasn't even thinking. You probably hate this game, don't you?"

"Damn, nice going, Urameshi!" Kuwabara snaps.

"It's all right," Kurama replies before the two of them can get too into blaming each other. "Really."

"If you're sure," Yusuke says, not sounding convinced. They swap to a different game anyway, and the four of us take turns playing against each other until the house phone rings. Kurama gets to his feet, setting down his controller while Yusuke continues to beat his character until time is up and the announcer calls KO.

Kurama comes back a few minutes later, frowning at his defeated character and looking at Yusuke.

"What?" Yusuke says. "He eyed me funny."

"You can't just knock out everyone who gives you weird looks, Urameshi," Kuwabara replies, shaking his head.

"At least I can knock people out. Your hits are like love taps."

"I swear, one of these days I'm going to make you eat my fist," Kuwabara grunts as the front door opens.

"Think she'll need help?" I say, getting to my feet.

"It's possible," Kurama says, doing the same. The others follow suit, and we help Mrs. Minamino unload and put away her groceries.

"You're all so helpful! Thank you very much!" she says when we've finished.

"No problem," Yusuke says. "We're kind of crashing your house and all, so it's only fair we help."

She smiles. "You're such good kids."

Yusuke's got this weird proud-but-embarrassed smile on his face, and it makes me wonder how often anyone has ever told him something like that. Kuwabara's smiling like a goob too, and I can't help but feel protective of my friends. Not that they'd ever need my protection, but it makes me want to hurt anyone who's ever told them they aren't worth anything or that they're bad people.

"By the way, Mother," Kurama says as he closes a cupboard, "someone called for you while you were away. A Mr. Maeda. He said he's booked until the fall."

Mrs. Minamino sighs, shaking her head. "I had a feeling he would be. That's the fourth one I've called who's too busy to help."

"Wedding things?" I guess.

She nods. "I'm trying to find someone who'll teach Kazuya and me how to dance. We want to do a Western-style wedding, and sometimes, in those, the married couple gets to do the first dance. But Kazuya and I don't know how."

I frown, thinking. It's a cute notion, the newlyweds dancing together in front of their family and friends. "Well, what kind of dance do you want to learn?"

"I'm not really sure," she says. "We've picked out a song to dance to, but I was hoping one of the instructors could tell us."

"I could probably figure it out," I tell her. "Give me the song, and I'll get back to you."

"Really?" she asks. "You don't have to trouble yourself, Asaki."

"It's not trouble," I reply. "Think of it as my wedding present." She's done so much for me, so this is the least I can do.

"Thank you so much!" she cries, clasping her hands together. "I'll call Kazuya to let him know! Ohh!" She's grinning from ear-to-ear, and it makes me smile as well. "Thank you!"

"Of course," I reply.

"Kiss ass," Yusuke mutters so quietly that Kurama's mom can't hear. He hisses in pain a second later, so I can only assume someone made him regret that comment.

Mrs. Minamino starts to make dinner, and we buzz around the kitchen, lending a hand when necessary. When it's done, we sit around the table, laughing and talking and having a good time.

Mrs. Minamino asks after our families, and after Kuwabara brings up Yukina a few times, and Yusuke talks about Keiko, she sighs. "I wish Shuichi had a girlfriend he could talk about like this."

"Mother!" Kurama looks mortified, and my stomach clenches tightly at the thought of him having a girlfriend. Yusuke and Kuwabara, however, are grinning mischievously.

"Yeah, _Shuichi_ ," Yusuke practically purrs. "Get a girlfriend already. Your poor mom just wants you to be happy."

"What he said," Kuwabara adds. "Someone you can take home and show your parents."

I grip my hands into fists, shaking my head. "You guys are ridiculous."

"Like you have anyone to bring home," Yusuke says.

"Anyone I bring home would have to make it past my father," I reply. "Not going to happen."

"Is your father strict about boyfriends?" Mrs. Minamino asks, looking concerned.

"He certainly doesn't trust my taste in men," I tell her, shrugging. "It only matters so much. Whatever I decide he'll have no part in."

"Be careful about that," Mrs. Minamino says. "If you estrange your father, you'll miss him at your wedding."

I shrug, fiddling with my hair. "I mean, that's a long way from now. Who knows what might happen between now and then. Besides, it's not like I have a boyfriend."

"I can think of a way to fix that," Yusuke says, getting to his feet. I shoot him the darkest glare I can manage, and he immediately replies, "Or not," at the same time that his feet seem to just disappear from under him because he's on the floor seconds later. He gives Kurama an indignant look. "Hey!"

"Can I help you?" Kurama asks, his voice sounding concerned.

"Geez, I was just kidding. Can't a guy make a joke without getting tag-teamed?" Yusuke gets back into his chair, sighing.

"I feel like I missed something," Kuwabara says, frowning.

"Same," I reply, standing and taking everyone's dishes to the sink. The chatter continues behind me as Mrs. Minamino joins me in cleaning up.

"Thank you, Asaki," she says.

"No problem," I reply. "I'm happy to help."

"Are you ready for high school?"

I smile, laughing lightly. "Junior high only just ended. I feel like I need more than just a small break before I have to start again. It'll be okay, though. I'll make it through just like before."

"I'm sure you'll do fine. You're a very bright girl."

If it were possible, I'd be glowing under her praise. The dishes are done in no time, and before long, it's pretty dark out. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I bid the Minaminos goodbye, declining Kurama's offer to walk with us.

"Don't worry about it," Yusuke'd said, and we set off, going our separate ways.

By the time I get home, I'm beyond ready to crash. Before I open the door to my room, I stop, frowning at the hastily scribbled note attached to it with tape.

 _I won't be coming back any time soon._

 _-Hiei_

Huh. At least he left a note. I'm sure he has his reasons for leaving, and quite frankly, the time he's been living here has gone much more pleasantly than I'd ever dreamed it would. Smiling, I settle into bed, dreaming of video games, foxes, and black fire.

* * *

A/N: Aaaaaand we're back on track! Everyone's all graduated and junk. Woo! I am well aware, by the way, that Yusuke doesn't graduate middle school in canon with everyone else, but I mentioned in the very beginning that I'd aged everyone (except for Kurama) up a year, so it wouldn't have made sense for Kuwabara to graduate but not Yusuke. Don't worry, he's not going to high school; things are still going to be on track for the canon universe there.

Kana and Haruka are on their way out, which makes me sad, but they may show up again sometimes. I'm not sure yet. This chapter really is just the launching point for the future. I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **YukinaBlueRose** and **Sidako** for the reviews!


	55. Another First Day

I'm running late. I can't believe I'm going to be late on my first day of class. I'd lost my school bag, and by the time I found it, underneath my bed for some reason, I was already pushing it.

I decided, despite my feelings on the color red, to go to school in demon form once again. It's what I know, what makes me comfortable, and I think I'm going to need it. After over a year, I'm starting over yet again. This time, however, I know what I'm doing.

Using my demon speed, I dash around and over buildings, making sure no one sees me, making it inside the school as the first late bell rings. Just made it. I walk slowly to class, ecstatic to be here. It's almost surreal. This time last year, I didn't know if I would even be going to school. I'm so glad everything I've done has paid off.

I slowly make my way to my classroom, half-expecting Kurama to show up somewhere. Which is silly of me. Just because he goes to school here too doesn't mean he's always going to be around when I turn a corner. But...I can feel him. With all the energies of all these humans filling the air, I can still pick out his particular energy. Knowing he's here makes me nervous and comforted all at once.

Classes are about the same as at Sarayashiki, with one notable difference: the teachers actually care. By the time lunch rolls around, the excitement from this morning has ebbed, and I'm left wondering how the rest of the day is going to play out. Most of my classmates are eating lunch in the classroom, even though we're free to go outside on the grounds. I think everyone's still trying to feel the other students out.

"So, what school are you from?"

I look up from my lunch to find a handful of students looking at me. I'd heard them asking each other this question earlier, but I wasn't inclined to join in. Apparently, the choice has been taken out of my hands.

"Sarayashiki," I tell the girl who asked me the question.

"Ew, really?" she sneers, turning up her nose.

"How did someone from that trash school get in here?" I hear someone ask.

"Same as anyone else," I reply, already bored of this conversation. I should have expected this. "By passing the exam."

"Or cheating." The first girl narrows her brown eyes at me, her short black hair just falling over her shoulders.

"If I'm so good at cheating that I made it all the way in," I retort, "then I guess I belong here anyway."

"I heard," a guy says, suddenly leaning over my desk from one side, "that Sarayashiki's biggest punks actually graduated!"

"They did," I tell him, leaning back and hoping he'll get out of my personal space.

"What were their names?" someone else asks.

"Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara," I reply.

"Trouble is what they are," that first girl replies, looking irritated that we changed subjects. What was her name? Something cheesy.

"They're also two of my best friends," I add, trying to remain as calm as possible. This girl is getting on my nerves.

"No way!" the guy says, a grin on his face. I'm trying to remember his name. Kanta something?

"As if," cheesy-girl says. "First she's a cheater, and now she's a liar."

"I've seen her with them," another girl says. She's got auburn hair and brown eyes. I think she might be half-Japanese. "The guy with the orange pompadour and the other one with the slicked back hair, right?"

I nod. "That's them."

"No one cares what you think, Mimi," cheesy-girl snaps, narrowing her eyes. Maybe they came from the same middle school. Mimi sounds like a nickname.

"Relax, Ichika," Kanta says, a smile on his face. He's not leaning over my desk anymore, which is a relief. Ichika Yamamoto. That was her name. "I just think it's cool that we were all accepted here. I mean, it's such a legit school."

A few of the other kids echo this sentiment, and the subject changes, thankfully, to something else. I'm free to eat my lunch in peace.

When the day is out, I head over to my shoe locker to find...my shoes aren't there. Sighing, I yank on my braid, agitated. Why do I feel like this is Ichika's doing? I take off my school shoes and my socks, stepping outside to find my normal shoes in a bush. Grabbing them, I turn around to find Ichika and a few other girls, standing there, arms crossed.

"Aw, poor thing," she purrs. "Who would do something like that?"

"Beats me," I reply. "Someone sad, I would think, if they find pleasure in picking on people who haven't done anything to them." I can't believe I'm being bullied by some 15-year-old human. It's almost...funny.

Irritation flits across Ichika's face, only to be replaced with a concerned frown. "Well, you know, maybe you did deserve it. You sounded pretty stuck-up in class."

"For good reason," I reply, a smile on my face. "I mean, I did come from a crappy school and managed to get in here just fine. That must make me something else, you know?"

She _does not_ like that, although I thought it was pretty clever. "You know what, you little-"

"Excuse me." Ichika and her friends jump at the sound of someone behind them, turning to reveal, of all people, Yuu Kaito. "You're in the way," he says, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"Who the hell-" Ichika starts, looking frazzled.

"Ichika," one of the girls hisses, "he's an upperclassman."

Ichika blanches at that, looking down as she steps out of Kaito's way. "S-sorry," she mutters.

Kaito doesn't say anything to her, just brushes past, stopping in front of me. "All right, Asaki?" He looks down at my hands, and I feel my face flush just a bit. I must look really goofy holding my socks and school shoes in one hand and my regular shoes in the other.

"I've been better. What about you?"

"Aside from some irritating freshmen, I'm fine." He glares at Ichika's group, and they disperse, heading back into the school. "Making enemies on your first day?"

"Apparently." I sigh. "Gimme a second?" He frowns but nods, and I dash back inside, swapping shoes. Stepping back out into the sunshine, I find Kaito has already got his nose buried in a book. I swear, I was gone for maybe two minutes.

"Did you need something else from me?" he asks, barely even looking up when I come to stand in front of him.

"War and Peace?" I frown at the book he's reading.

He raises an eyebrow at me. "You can read English?"

"Mm-hm, though I can't say I've read that particular book. It looks daunting."

"Maybe to someone who doesn't have a literary mind. At the same time, it might be better in the original Russian."

"Probably," I reply. "The translations rarely do anything other than add misunderstandings. Although, I think some of that can be remedied by gaining knowledge about the circumstances of the book itself and the time it was written in."

He looks at me for a moment, a curious look on his face. "That's a very astute judgment."

"You sound surprised," I reply. "I didn't get into this school because I'm stupid." Sighing, I say, "Hey, do you have somewhere to be?"

"Why?"

"Lemme buy you a bean bun."

Now he's looking at me like I'm crazy. "Once again, I ask, why?"

"As thanks for making them clear off. I really don't need to be fighting on my first day."

"Pass," he says. "I don't think Shuichi would fancy his girlfriend buying food for someone else."

"Ha-ha, very funny," I drawl. "He's not my boyfriend or my keeper. I can buy what I want for who I want. Now come on." With that, I turn and start walking. I half expect him not to follow, but it isn't long before he's matching my stride.

"I prefer melon bread," he says, and I smile.

"I know just the place."

…

After stopping by Seventh Leaven, getting tackled by Mrs. Tendou, and having free baked goods forced upon us, Kaito and I end up, of all places, in the park not far from the shop. If someone had told me, at the start of today, that I would be sitting here by the end of it, discussing literature with Kaito, I think I would have laughed in his face.

As it stands, however, we're so engrossed in our conversation that neither of us notices Kurama until he's standing right beside us. "Aren't you an unusual pair."

We both jump, looking up at Kurama who's regarding us with a bemused smile. "Hello, Shuichi," Kaito says, adjusting his glasses.

"Hey," I say, smiling. "Want to join us?"

"That depends," he replies. "What on earth has the two of you so excited?"

"Tolstoy," Kaito says. "A truly fascinating man."

"He really was." I toss Kurama a cookie from the bag Mrs. Tendou gave me. "How was your day?"

"Good," he says, settling down beside me. "Long, but good. And yours?"

"I almost got into a fight!" Kurama's eyes widen, and I grin.

"Don't sound so proud," Kaito sighs.

"Hey, I didn't do anything wrong. She threw my shoes in a bush."

"Why?" Kurama asks, surprised.

"Apparently, coming here from Sarayashiki makes me the perfect target for bullying," I say. "She said I cheated my way in here and then insulted Yusuke and Kuwabara. I think I behaved rather well, all things considered."

"Small-minded people are everywhere," Kaito says, getting to his feet. "And with that, I think I'll take my leave. I have work to do."

"Thanks again, Kaito...sen-"

"Don't," he interrupts. "Having you call me _senpai_ would be very strange after everything we've been through."

"All right, Kaito," I say, smiling as his face goes a little red. He pushes up his glasses before turning and walking away.

"I never thought I would see you getting along so well with Kaito," Kurama tells me.

"Same here. Although, I never thought he'd stick his neck out for me, so today's full of surprises. He's probably the only reason those bullies didn't try to do anything more."

"The world works in strange ways," Kurama says. "Perhaps it's providence." I raise an eyebrow at him, and he smiles, "Or maybe he was just feeling generous."

"That one," I reply, leaning back against the tree. "You know, despite getting picked on like that, I think today was a good day."

"I'm glad," Kurama says, as I close my eyes. One of his fingers starts tapping against one of mine where it rests on the grass, but I just let it happen. It's actually kind of comforting. We stay like that for a while until Kurama says he has to go home and help his mom.

I bid him goodbye and ask him to give Mrs. Minamino my phone number so we can talk about those dance lessons I promised before I make my own way home. It's kind of lonely without Hiei grumping around, but at least I can relax. I grab something light to eat, not really hungry after all those baked goods, and just kick back. Today was interesting. I hope tomorrow is full of new things too.

...

Bullying isn't exactly new to me, and when I head toward my shoe locker, Ichika and her friends are there, blocking my way.

"Excuse me," I say, standing directly in front of Ichika, a flat expression on my face.

"You're excused," she replies.

I won't rise to her bait. Instead, I stand there, staring into her eyes. She meets my gaze for a long moment, but she can't hold it for long. This is not a culture used to locking eyes with others. My father trained me to do so. He said it was because we were better than everyone, and they needed to know it.

As I stand here now, I let that confidence, that superiority flow out of me, controlling my energy in the first way I ever learned how: to intimidate others.

"I will not play games with you," I say to her, watching as the smug smirk fades from her face. "It is the second day of school, and I need only access my locker. I ask that you stand aside."

Ichika balks, taking a step back and bumping into one of her friends who jumps. "M-make me," she snaps. Girl's got guts, I'll give her that.

I take a step forward, and the entire group steps back. "Move."

And they do. I open my locker, swapping shoes and turning to face them again. Ichika is standing there, looking confused, like she doesn't know what to do now.

Before I can say anything more, someone shouts, "Buzz off, Ichika!"

I return my energy to normal, turning to face the newcomer, another girl from my class. Ichika's group lets out a collective sigh, and they stir uneasily, as if uncertain why they were afraid in the first place.

The new girl, Rikka Ikeda, I think is her name, has her hands on her hips, looking for all the world as if she owns the place. She has ramrod-straight black hair that falls to her shoulder blades and dark brown eyes that can command a room.

"You can't just boss people around," Ichika snaps at Rikka.

"Like hell I can't."

"Just because your dad's the principal-"

"Exactly." She narrows her eyes, the expression on her face almost enough to make me stand up straighter. "What do you think would happen if I told him you were bullying one of his best new students?"

Ichika grits her teeth, looking conflicted. After a moment, she rolls her eyes. "Whatever. You're not even worth my time." With that, she turns, her little clique following after.

"She makes me nauseous," Ikeda says, sighing. "I swear. I've been in the same school as her all my life. Why did she have to come here too?"

"She secretly wants to be your best friend," I reply, making her laugh.

"You're all right, Anno."

"Asaki, please," I tell her.

She smiles. "Cool. Call me Rikka, then."

"Rikka. Your Principal Ikeda's daughter?"

"Yep."

"And you have no problem throwing that around, huh?"

She rolls her shoulders, looking away from me and down the hall. "I think about it like this: There's nothing I can do about what my dad does, right? So, why not use it to my advantage?"

"That's...interesting," I say, surprised. I don't think I've ever thought about it that way. With my father's influence, I could have had any number of things, but I always treated it as a misfortune and him as someone I didn't want to be associated with. How different might my life have been had I used her mindset?

"I don't do it all the time," she clarifies. "Just, when I can help people out." She gives me a smile that I find myself hesitantly returning as the first bell rings. "Oops! We'd better get to class."

"Late on day two," I say, and she laughs as we head to our classroom.

Class seems to zip by, and then it's lunch time once more. Before I have the chance to do anything more than sigh, Kanta, whose last name I finally remember is Ono, turns to me from his seat beside me.

"Hey, Anno, are you really friends with Kuwabara and Urameshi?" he asks.

"Um, yes," I reply. "And please, just call me Asaki."

"Sweet!" he says. "Then call me Kanta."

"Sure. You seem really interested in those guys," I tell him.

"Have you ever seen them fight?" he asks. "They're super tough! I wish I had half as much guts as they do."

"Guts, sure. Brains, not so much. I remember they used to pick fights with anything that moved."

"But they graduated middle school," he says, frowning. "And Kuwabara even got into a high school, right?"

"How do you know that?" I ask.

He looks down, the tips of his ears turning red. "I just...think Kuwabara's really cool, that's all."

"Huh. Well, he'd be happy to hear that, I bet."

"Really?" he asks, looking up at me with bright eyes. This guy is kind of...intense.

Before I can say anything else, Rikka comes over, sitting herself on my desk. "Nice job, Kanta. It's only the second day of class and you're already hitting on the cutest girl."

"I am not!" he gasps, indignant. "We're just having a conversation."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Careful with him, Asaki. He's trouble."

"I'm hurt!" Kanta replies. "I was just having an honest conversation, and you have to come over here and ruin it."

"That's my job," she purrs, grinning. She looks over my head, calling, "Minako! Is it done yet?"

The girl from yesterday, the one Ichika had called Mimi, looks up from her desk, which is absolutely covered in papers. "It's only day two," she replies, shaking her head. "Give me until Friday, and it should be done."

"Oh no," Kanta says. "Not the faces." I frown at his words, and he says, "Minako's got a thing for faces."

"Way to make it sound super weird," Rikka says, sliding off my desk.

"It is kind of weird," Kanta replies.

Minako gets out of her chair and walks over to us, shaking her head. "It's scientific, you goof."

"Minako studies face shapes and body shapes. She wants to go to university to study anatomy," Rikka says. "So, every year, she compiles photos of all the students in the school and applies some fancy parameters to them, and then rates them on a scale of 1-10."

"That does sound...kind of creepy," I say, frowning.

"Eh." Rikka shrugs. "You'll get used to it."

"It's just a pet project," Minako says. "I get kind of anxious if I don't do it."

"Sure," I reply. "I can understand that. I'm actually kind of curious what it'll look like when it's done."

"Don't encourage her," Kanta groans, leaning back in his chair.

"You're just worried you're going to be a five again," Rikka says.

"Am not!" He sits forward suddenly, glaring at Rikka. "You're so...annoying."

"I take it," I interrupt before Rikka can get another word in, "that you guys are old friends?"

"Since birth, basically," Kanta grumbles.

"Our dads went to university together," Rikka says. "They've been shoving us together for as long as we can remember."

"We met Minako in middle school, and the three of us just kind of clicked," he says, smiling.

"Rescued her from Ichika, and we've been friends ever since."

"Why do I sense a pattern?" I ask, smiling.

"Are we destined to be best friends?" Rikka grabs my hands in hers, making me jump. She chuckles, letting go. "You're funny, Asaki. I think we'll get along just fine."

"I'm curious what your face will reveal," Minako says. "You've got really unusual coloring."

"Ah, yeah," I say. "I get told that a lot. Although, your looks are atypical too."

"I'm half-Japanese," she replies. "Which is apparently a good reason to pick on me."

"Small-minded people." Shaking my head, I look over at where Ichika sits, talking with her friends. I wonder what drives people to be so unkind to others like that.

"She's just mad because she's a six," Rikka says.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask, frowning.

"One through four are poor," Minako explains. "Five and six are average. Seven is good. Eight and nine are exceptional."

She doesn't continue, so I have to ask, "What about ten?"

"Tens are rare," Rikka tells me. "We've never seen one in person. Just pictures."

Minako nods. "Ten means perfect proportions and clean lines in the facial features. A ten would have to conform to very specific guidelines perfectly. It's very uncommon and really has to deal with hereditary, environmental, and health elements."

"Uh-huh."

We spend the rest of lunch going over what kind of parameters Minako uses, and I end up learning a lot about everyone in the process. Who would have thought I'd find such interesting people already? I'm kind of...happy. At the same time, I miss Haruka and Kana, and I hope they're doing okay. Same with Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko.

…

The week zips by, and at lunch on Friday, Minako commandeers my desk, pushing Rikka off the top and slapping a notebook with photos sticking out of it in front of me.

"It's done!" she says, her face alight with joy.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Rikka cries, pulling up a chair, and sitting in it backward, facing my desk.

Kanta sighs, scooting over himself. "All right. Where do we stand this year?"

"First off," Minako says, whipping out a few photos with dozens of tiny numbers and lines all across them. "Rikka Ikeda!"

"Yes!" Rikka snaps a salute, making Minako grin.

"Solid seven."

"Sweet!"

"Kanta Ono!"

"Uh-huh."

"Also a seven."

"For real?" For someone who didn't care, Kanta suddenly looks much more interested. "Does that mean I've gotten more attractive?"

"Yep," she replies, smiling. This girl has been basically silent all week, and now she's practically bursting at the seams with excitement. She must have been working really hard on this.

"Asaki Anno!"

"What?" I jump at my name, eyes wide. "Wait, me too?"

"Of course. No one escapes me."

"Yikes."

"You're an eight. Congrats."

"Hey, that's totally awesome," Rikka cheers. "Means you're pretty hot stuff."

"Gee, thanks," I mutter, taking the photo from her. I don't know what any of the numbers or marks mean on my face, so I sigh, pushing it back at her.

"I'm a seven," she says, brushing past her own photo. "Ichika's still a six."

"Ha!" Rikka shoots a dirty look at Ichika.

"I've got everyone else here too," Minako says. "But, guys, check this out." Her voice gets low, and she gestures for us to lean in closer.

"What is it?" I ask.

"There's a ten at our school."

"What?" Rikka gasps. "No way."

"Neat," I say.

"Girl or guy?" Kanta asks.

"It's a guy. He's a second-year," Minako replies.

"Show us!" Rikka cries, grabbing Minako by the arm. I think she's hamming it up a little,

but it's kind of cute.

"Ready?" Minako pulls a photo from her notebook, holding it to her chest. "Ta-dah!" She slaps it onto my desk, and I snort, really loudly.

Staring up at me is one picture of Shuichi Minamino.

"You okay there?" Kanta asks.

"Oh, y-yeah, go ahead, Minako," I say, covering my mouth with my hand. _This is hilarious._

"Anyway." Minako frowns. "This guy's in class 2-A and a perfect ten."

"I've seen him before," Rikka says. "He's like, top of his class, probably top of the school. Dad says he's scary smart."

"Why did you snort?" Minako asks me. "Do you disagree that he's attractive?"

"Oh, no, it wasn't that," I say, holding up my hands in a fending off kind of gesture. "I was just thinking that he'd probably find this funny."

"Do you know him?" Rikka asks.

"Yeah. He's friends with Yusuke and Kuwabara too." They stare at me, eyes wide as though they can't believe what I just said. "What?"

"No way," Kanta says. "A prissy-looking guy like this is friends with those guys?"

"I'll make sure he knows you feel that way," I reply, smiling.

"No, no, I'm good."

Sighing, I tug on the end of my braid, saying, "He might not look it, but he's actually pretty tough himself." They're still staring at me, so I say, "Do you want to meet him?"

"Meet him!" Minako gasps, grabbing the photo and tucking it back in her book. "Yes, please!"

"Um, sure," I say. "We can find him after school. I'm pretty sure he'll be staying late today." We'd bumped into each other at the end of the day yesterday, and he'd asked me to wait for him so we could go get something to eat. Apparently, he had something he wanted to tell me.

"Wow, Minako," Rikka says, elbowing her friend. "You finally get to meet a ten."

"This is so awesome!" she gushes. "You're the best, Asaki."

"Save your judgment until after you meet him," I reply. "He's a handful."

…

I'm nervous, and I'm not sure why. Am I worried Kurama won't like my friends? No. They're odd, but they're not bad people, so I'm sure he'll find a way to get along. But, still….

"Oh, maybe we shouldn't do this," Minako says. She looks ready to bolt too.

"What do you mean?" Rikka snaps, bumping her friend's shoulder. "This is your chance to meet a ten!"

"I know, but...I've never met one before! It's...scary."

"If it makes you feel any better," I tell her, "he may look like a ten, but his personality's like a six."

"Yeah?" I jump, turning to find Kanta coming toward us. He'd been on cleaning duty, so he was only just joining our group. "You okay?"

"Fine," I reply. "It would have been a very Shuichi thing to do to come at the exact time I was poking fun at him."

"Why are we poking fun at me?"

And, again, I jump, bumping into Kurama. His hands come around my shoulders to steady me, chuckling softly.

"Dammit, Shuichi!" I grunt, stepping away.

"You seem very jumpy today," he replies, smiling mildly.

"See?" I say to the others. "A six."

Rikka snorts really hard before breaking into full-on laughter. "Asaki, you're hilarious."

"Thanks?" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't suppose you'll introduce me to your friends?" Kurama asks. "Unless you've more inside jokes to laugh at." There's a hint of censure in his voice, but not quite enough to make me feel bad.

"Shuichi, these are my classmates, Rikka Ikeda, Minako Inoue, and Kanta Ono." They each give him slight bows when I introduce them. "Guys, this is Shuichi Minamino."

"Nice to meet you, Minamino- _senpai_ ," Kanta says.

"Likewise," he replies. Looking at Rikka, he asks, "I don't suppose you're Principal Ikeda's daughter?"

"Yep!" she says, putting her hands on her hips. "That's me!"

He smiles, and I wonder what's going on in that dizzying mind of his. He turns his gaze on Minako who's still staring at him with these wide eyes. "You have lovely hair, Miss Inoue," he says to her.

She blinks, her expression returning to normal as her face burns red. "Th-thank you," she says, subconsciously touching her hair. "Um, you can just call me Minako."

"All right," he says, smiling warmly. I think Minako might melt under his gaze. If she doesn't, I may burn up from jealousy, which is both stupid and not a good feeling. I poke him in the back, not making eye contact even as he looks over his shoulder at me.

"You might as well call all of us by our first names," Rikka says. "I think it's easier that way."

"Hey, who says you get to decide for me?" Kanta snaps.

"Me," she replies, smiling cheekily.

Kurama smiles as well, saying, "If you'd like." He doesn't extend the offer in return, and I wonder why. The first time we met, he told me I could call him Shuichi….

"Whatever," Kanta grunts. "I've got somewhere to be, so I'll catch you guys later."

We bid him farewell, and he leaves. Rikka grabs Minako by the arm, saying, "We'll buzz off too. Minako's got a shift at her parents' shop."

"See you guys," I tell them, waving as Rikka half-drags a starstruck Minako away.

"Dare I ask?" Kurama says, as we watch them leave. "That seemed like a contrived sort of meeting."

"It was. Minako studies face and body shapes, so she did a survey of our school, rating our faces from 1-10. You happened to be a perfect 10, so she wanted to meet you."

"Is that a fact?" he asks, and I swear I see a flicker of pride in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumble. "Preen a little, why don't you."

"Preen? Am I a bird?"

"A peacock." He chuckles, and I point a finger at him. "Your flirting with Minako didn't really help the situation."

"Flirting?" He looks mock-offended, and I put my hands on my hips.

"Yes, flirting."

"I'm surprised you can recognize that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snap.

"Nothing. Come on." He sets off, and I follow suit, sighing. "Out of curiosity, what were you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You said your friend rated everyone in the school. What did she give you?"

"Oh. An 8." I shrug as we walk. "Which is pretty good, apparently. I'm not exactly anyone's idea of a typical beauty, so I'll take what I can get."

Kurama frowns. "I wonder about that. I would have given you a 10." I freeze at his words, not certain I heard him right. A 10? Does Kurama find me attractive?

He's still walking, so I break into a run. "Hey, wait up!"

…

I haven't had ramen in ages, and the moment it's set in front of me, I have to suppress a satisfied sigh. Kurama has ordered tempura for himself, and we sit in relative silence for a minute or two as we start to enjoy our food. Ever since we got here, we've talked about nothing more serious than classes and how his family is doing. I can tell Kurama wants to say something more substantial, but he's putting it off.

After another minute or so of silence, I reach across the table with my chopsticks and snatch one of his fish. He jumps, looking at me in surprise as I eat it. "Excuse me," he says, eyebrow raised.

"I had to do something to wake you up," I tell him.

"Thank you," he replies wryly. "I'm glad that stealing my food was the way to do that."

"Would you like a dumpling?" I ask, gesturing to the pork dumplings that came with my ramen. They're still steaming, even after the few minutes they've been sitting here.

"I'm all right," he says. After staring at his food for another long moment, he says, "Asaki, I'm going to have to go away for a little while."

I grip my chopsticks tightly, swallowing a noodle faster than intended. Taking a sip from my tea, I try to play it off, nodding at him. "Okay. Um...where are you going?"

"Demon World," he says. "An old friend has asked for my help. Yusuke and Hiei will be going as well, though we've each been summoned by someone different."

"Got it," I say, letting go of my chopsticks so I can fiddle with my hair. "Who has the power to ask you three for favors?"

"Have you heard of the Three Kings of Demon World?"

"Mm-hm. I've actually met one of them."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. It was a really long time ago." I shrug, but he looks like he wants the story. "Finish telling me what's going on, and then I'll tell you, okay?"

"All right," he acquiesces. "The Three Kings have been fighting for control of Demon World for some time, as I'm sure you know. Things must finally be coming to a head."

"And one of them summoned you," I supply. "Why can't things ever be easy for you guys?"

Kurama smiles. "Unfortunately, that's the lot we've drawn."

"So, when will you be leaving?"

"Summer break. I'll be back before school starts. That's the time I've told Yomi I can give him."

I nod, leaning back in my chair and looking up at the ceiling. "What are you telling your mom?"

"Summer camp," he replies. "It's my usual excuse." I smile at that, picking up my chopsticks again. "Asaki, I want to ask a few favors of you while I'm gone."

"Sure," I say around a mouthful of noodles.

"If possible, do you think you could check up on my mother from time to time? She'll be rather busy with wedding preparations, but I'm worried she may get lonely without me."

"Of course! We've still got dance lessons, after all. I'll look after her for you."

He smiles. "I'm relieved to know she'll be in good hands. There's one other thing. I don't suppose you could look after my garden for me? I can leave you instructions for what everything needs, if you'd like."

"Sure, sure," I say. "That's not a problem." I sigh, looking down at my bowl for a moment before meeting his deep green eyes. "Anything else?"

"That's all," he replies. "I'm grateful."

I nod, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat. "Promise me something?"

"Hm?"

"Be safe. I'm going to be worried about you while you're gone. Please...don't get into more trouble than you can handle."

"I'll do my best, Asaki," he says, his voice soft. "I promise."

I nod, taking a deep, slow breath. "All right. Don't think for a second, if I hear you're in trouble, that I won't come looking for you."

He chuckles, his smile warm as he says, "That's entirely fair. Now, I believe you owe me a story."

I make a face, as I chew through my last dumpling. "It's not a very exciting one."

…

I was very small, young even as far as demons went. I didn't have full control of my form shifting, back then, so it happened a lot. This particular instance had been at a party of my father's that he'd been hosting in Demon World. I'd been standing at his side, dressed as finely as could be expected from a little girl. I can't remember exactly how old my demon form was, but my human form was about four years old.

It was while he was talking to an old business partner that it happened. I changed into a human, all chubby limbs and messy brown hair. My father had been furious. He'd grabbed me by my arm, practically carrying me by it as he dragged me away from the other demon. He'd shouted at me, reprimanded me, hit me for not being able to control myself, and then he told me to stay in that exact spot until he came to get me later.

I didn't. I was mad. Mad at him, mad at myself, mad at my mother for choosing a man like my father to have a child with. I'd already been alive long enough to understand a lot of the implications of being a half-demon. My life was a constant struggle for survival, even if I didn't always want to fight anymore.

Running as hard and as fast as I could, I thought maybe I could get away from my father and the life I was living. What I didn't know was that Demon World wasn't a safe place to be a child, least of all a human one. I hadn't been running for more than ten minutes when my breathing started getting heavy. My limbs felt leaden, and my skin was prickling. I would later learn that was the effect of the thick miasma in the air. It didn't agree with humans, and human children were exceptionally susceptible.

I collapsed, lying on the ground and occasionally convulsing as exhaustion, fear, and sickness all caught up with me at once. This could have been the end of me. I could have died here, and who would have missed me? That was what I'd thought at the time. Even as a child, I knew no one really cared about me.

Lucidity came in bursts for a little while after that, but the next thing I clearly remembered was being in someone's lap, a hand rubbing my back. When I looked up, I was shocked to see a demon with long hair and strange face markings looking down at me.

"Good, you're awake. Eat this."

I wasn't in a very clear state of mind or something would have told me not to take food offered by strangers. Instead, I ate what he offered and immediately started feeling better.

"Thank you, sir," I said, climbing out of his lap.

"No problem. Now, what's a human girl like you doing here? There are lots of hungry demons who'd love to eat you."

I forgot about that. I wasn't one of them, and neither was my father, but there were demons who ate human flesh. I would later learn that my rescuer had been one of them.

"I'm only half human," I mumbled, and at that moment, I changed back into my demon form.

"Ah, I see," he replied, completely unfazed. "Well, you should run along. Someone must be worried about you."

At that moment, a loud voice shouted, "Lord Raizen!" A bald-headed monk had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, bowing to the one he'd called Raizen.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming," the strange demon said, shaking his head. "Be careful out here."

I bowed low to him, and he chuckled before he disappeared, leaving me alone. I went back to where the party was being held, only to discover I hadn't even been missed. My father never even noticed I'd left.

* * *

A/N: And now we have a new cast of characters for Asaki to be friends with! I'm not sure how I feel about these guys yet, but I'll get used to them. I'm not going to lie, I feel like the gap between canon plot and the stuff I filled in just wasn't long enough for me. I'm stresst, guys :P But, I'm looking forward to these next bits. I get to play with lots more characters, so look forward to a bevy of familiar faces reappearing!

I'm kind of hoping to get on some kind of schedule between this and my other story, The Worth of Gold, but I can't make promises. My brain is so scattered rn. The goal is every other week. I sure hope I can do it.

Anyway, thanks so very much for reading, and a special thanks to **YukinaBlueRose, Sidako, bluerose921,** and **Lestatsgirl15** for the reviews!


	56. Stupid Jerks Attract Trouble

Technically, Hiei is the first to leave, but at the time I didn't know why he'd left. Now that I've spoken to Kurama, I know that he left to go help Mukuro, a name I used to hear whispered in dark places, not spoken casually in the open. While I know Hiei is tough and can take care of himself, that doesn't stop me from being worried. None of the kings are exactly known for being softies.

Yusuke is the second to leave, with a bit of a send-off from the rest of us. Kuwabara had been pretty upset, and I didn't blame him. It didn't feel good to be left behind, but neither of us really had a place in this fighting. At least, not right now. While I'm sure Kuwabara will bounce back from this, I'm more worried for Keiko. The way Kurama had made it sound, Yusuke might not even be able to come back, cocky promises or not.

The month before Kurama leaves is a whirlwind of activity. I spend as much time with Kurama as possible, not necessarily by choice. He keeps seeking me out, which I understood at first. He'd told his mother about my helping in his garden while he was away, so he showed me around and gave me a list of things I needed to take care of whenever I came by. As long as I did so once a week, things would be all right.

Beyond that, I'm not entirely sure why we end up together so much. He meets me outside the school after classes let out every day, walks me home or to the library or to his house, and we do homework together before he or I go our separate ways. While I enjoy hanging out with him, Rikka, Minako, and Kanta are also my friends, and I want to spend time with them too.

One afternoon, two days before Kurama is going to be leaving for Demon World, two days before summer vacation begins, I'm standing outside the front gates to the school, talking with Rikka. She's waiting for the others, and I'm waiting for Kurama at his request.

"I swear, you two hang out so much it's like you're dating," Rikka says, shaking her head.

"You're telling me," I reply.

"Didn't you say he's going away for summer camp soon?"

"Mm-hm."

"Maybe he's planning to confess his love right before he leaves! Fireworks and all that crap."

"Doubtful," I reply. "If, and that's a big if, Shuichi has any feelings for me, he'd never use an opportunity like that to confess them. He doesn't strike me as a 'big gestures' kind of guy."

"You never know," Rikka says, shaking her head.

"You're starting to sound like another friend of mine," I grumble. I haven't seen Haruka since that day under the cherry blossoms, something that bums me immensely. We'd been such good friends, but all it took was a little distance to make things so much harder.

"Whoa, you have _friends?_ " she asks, and I poke her in the shoulder, making her laugh. "For real, though, once Minamino is gone, will we actually get to see you for more than a few minutes? I'm not a fan of the monopoly he has."

"Well-"

"Ahem."

The familiar sound of a throat being cleared draws my attention from Rikka and down to….

"Genkai?"

"Who?" Rikka asks, and I start, looking between the two of them.

"Oh, uh, this is a friend of mine," I say, gesturing to Genkai who is standing there, with her arms crossed, looking like she's mad at me for some reason. What did I do now? Why is she even here?

"We need to talk," Genkai says to me. She bows to Rikka, saying, "I'm the grandma of a friend of hers." Yusuke's ugly mug flashes through my head, and I sigh. Sure, that's the story we can go with.

"Oh, all right," Rikka says, shrugging.

"Um, did you want to talk in private?" I ask Genkai.

"Unless you want your friend to know all your dirt, I'd recommend it."

"Ooh, I'm game," Rikka says, elbowing me in the ribs.

"Hard pass," I reply. "If Shuichi comes, tell him something came up, and I'll see him tomorrow." I don't know what Genkai wants, but I get the feeling putting a time limit on our discussion, and for Kurama no less, would get on her nerves.

"Will do," she says. "See you tomorrow."

I wave, turning to find Genkai already heading down the street. "Hey, wait up!"

"Shouldn't be that hard to keep up with a little old lady," she says.

"Like that even applies to you," I grumble, matching her pace. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can talk and not be bothered." She doesn't add anything more, so I just follow along, ending up at a diner. We get a table, order some food, and then sit in silence for a bit. Once the food comes, Genkai finally speaks again.

"I thought I'd told you, after the mess with Sensui ended, that I wanted you to train with me."

Oh. I'd completely forgotten about that. "Right, right. Um, I mean, summer break starts the day after tomorrow?"

"Yes it does. And you're going to spend every day of it at my temple, training with me."

"Whoa, hold on," I say, dropping my chopsticks into my bowl and getting broth on the table. "Every day?"

"You heard me. There are big things going on in Demon World, and we need to be prepared."

"What do I have to do with the things there?" I ask, frowning.

"The boys seem to think their stay with the Three Kings will be easy, over and done with before they can blink, but I'm not so hopeful. If things go awry, they're going to need you." When I shake my head, she lets out an exasperated breath. "Look, regardless, being stronger can only help you. Both halves of you."

"I get that," I say, frowning. "But I need one day to myself. Like, Sunday. I'll train every other day, but Sunday is mine. I'm going to have homework, and I've got things Kurama has asked me to take care of while he's gone."

Genkai narrows her eyes at me, and for a few moments, we're just staring each other down from across the table. "Fine. You get Sunday to yourself. Every other day, you're with me."

"Deal," I reply, smiling. "I really get to learn from you? This is going to be amazing."

"It's not going to be easy, girl."

"I know that. I've never had an easy day of training in my life." Sometimes it feels like I've never had an easy day in my life, honestly. Training with Genkai...what's that going to be like? She was incredible to watch in the Dark Tournament, and even Koenma respected her enough to bring her back to life. Yusuke had told horror stories of how much of a bitch she is to train under, but he also loves her, of that much I'm certain.

 _Maybe after this training, she won't be able to call me a waste of space anymore._ Or at least, if she does, it'll be in the same way she calls Yusuke mean things like that.

Once we finish eating, Genkai and I go to one of the old abandoned parking lots I used to use when I needed to let off excess fire, and she has me change to my human form. Ever since I stopped working at Seventh Leaven, I've only used this body to visit Kurama's family. It's never been easy to split time between my two halves, but especially lately, it just doesn't occur to me unless I'm in certain situations, that I'm using one body or another. They're both just...me.

Genkai and I run through some basic exercises for strengthening my squishy human self, both physically and spiritually, working until the sun is about to set. I walk with her to the train, trying not to think of how sore I'm probably going to be tomorrow.

"I expect you first thing Saturday morning," she tells me while we wait for her train to come.

"Yes, ma'am," I reply. "I'll be there."

"Yukina's already prepared a room for you, so you'll have a space to yourself to stay in, although you'll spend little time in it."

"Got it." Somehow, I always manage to forget that Yukina stays with Genkai. I haven't seen her in a long time, so it'll be good to see her again.

The train pulls up, and Genkai gets on, speeding away into the night. Once she's gone, I let out a long sigh, digging a hand in my hair. I'm still in human form, which is how I stay for the rest of the night, jogging home to keep my blood flowing. When I get back to my apartment, I make some dinner, and then head to my room to finish up some homework.

 _Kurama leaves tomorrow. And then I'll be training with Genkai._ Hopefully, with so much going on, I won't have time to miss him.

...

Rikka is not happy with my pronouncement that my summer is absolutely booked.

"You want to tell me why you don't have time to hang out with your friends?" she asks.

"I'm going to be practicing asceticism over the break," I deadpan, making her raise an eyebrow.

"Leave her alone, Rikka," Kanta says. "She doesn't have to tell us what she's doing while she's away."

"I was being serious," I reply.

"Uh-huh, sure," Rikka says, sighing as she leans back against the front gate. "Go into the mountains and become a monk or something."

"That would benefit you too, Rikka," Minako says, sketching something in her sketchbook. Upon further inspection, it appears to be our homeroom teacher, Mr. Takano. It's uncanny how good a job she's done. There are even little notations beside certain parts of his body that have measurements she must have guessed at.

"What are you trying to say?" Rikka asks, putting a hand on one hip. "I'm ascetic to a fault." Kanta snorts at this, and she turns on him narrowing her eyes. "You got something to say, Ono?"

"Not a word, Ikeda," he replies, grinning.

Rolling her eyes, she turns back to face me. "Seriously, though, I'm going to miss you. Promise me we'll get together at least once? Even if it's the last day, when we're all cramming our summer homework down each other's throats."

"I promise," I tell her. "I mean, I've got Sundays mostly free, aside from errands I need to run."

"One day," Rikka groans. "Just one."

"For what?" Kurama asks as he approaches us from the main building.

"For Asaki," she replies, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Ack, get off of me, you nut." I grab her arms, but her grip is surprisingly strong, and I don't want to hurt her. Instead, I tickle her, which makes her jump away really quickly.

"Watch it, Asaki," she snaps, taking up a really shoddy impression of a fighting stance. "Don't make me go all warrior monk on you."

"Hey, you were the one who started it," I reply, laughing.

"Minamino, tell her she can't leave us!" Rikka beseeches.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asks me, and I sigh.

"No, I'm just going to have a full schedule over the summer," I tell him, shrugging.

He gives me a curious look, but when I don't offer more, he says, "Sorry, Rikka, but you should know there's no stopping Asaki when she sets herself to do something."

Rikka whines, narrowing her eyes at him. "You're absolutely no help. And just for that, you can't have her today. At least, not to yourself."

He raises an eyebrow at her, saying, "Is that a fact?"

"Damn straight," she replies, staring him down. "You've been monopolizing her, and I think we've done a good job of putting up with it. However, that was only because I figured we'd have the summer with her. If we're not going to see her for a while, then we're all hanging out today, and you can't change my mind."

Before anyone even has time to make a comment, Rikka links her arm through mine, shooting a look at Minako. The other girl sighs, rolling her eyes before closing her sketchbook and taking my other arm.

"Guys, could you-"

"No, way, Kanta. I'm not moving on this." Though, apparently, I am, because the two of them start to drag me along to who knows where. Kurama sighs, but he doesn't put up more of a fight, to my surprise. I could think of a few ways he could get us out of this situation, although none of them would leave a good impression on my friends.

"I can walk on my own, guys," I tell them, mostly just wanting them to stop tugging so hard. It's actually difficult not to trip like this.

"Are you sure?" Rikka asks me, squeezing my arm tighter. "You're pretty squirrely. If I let you go, are you going to run away on me?"

At this point, Minako has already let go, and I gesture to my free arm. "I haven't gone anywhere yet."

"Hmm."

"Just let her go, Rikka," Kanta says from behind us. I look back in time to see him shaking his head, half exasperated, half amused. Kurama has a similar expression on his face, although his eyes are unreadable. I give him a smile, but his expression doesn't change, which worries me.

"Fine, fine," Rikka says, sighing. "You guys are lame."

"I wasn't aware wanting my limbs to myself made me lame," I tell her. "Where are we going anyway? You just kind of started walking."

"Oh," she says, frowning. "I don't know. I just went for it."

"Excellent," I reply, shaking my head. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Why, thank you," she says, grinning. "Well, do you have any ideas?"

"I know a good place," Minako says, flipping open her sketchbook to show us a building that's all too familiar to me.

"I wonder if Keiko's there," I mutter, looking back at Kurama. His gaze is down the street, his eyes distant, and I wonder what he's thinking about.

"Minako, yours is the work of mild genius," Rikka says, nodding her head sagely. "It's impossible to go wrong with Yukimura ramen."

"You guys are so stressful," Kanta groans, shaking his head.

"Their daughter is Yusuke Urameshi's childhood friend," I tell Kanta, who immediately lights up.

"I-is that so?" he asks.

"They've known each other forever," I reply, smiling as we start to make our way to Yukimura's. Kanta's so easy to read, which is relieving after spending so much time with the three worlds' most secretive fox demon.

"That sweet brown-haired girl who helps in the shop sometimes?" Minako asks, flipping to an eerily accurate drawing of Keiko.

"Yeah, that one," I reply. "I haven't seen her since school started."

"Have you seen anyone other than _him_ since school started?" Rikka asks, glaring daggers at Kurama.

"Yes, I have!" I counter, crossing my arms. Only briefly, and in passing…. Wow, I let Kurama monopolize my life without really noticing. Maybe...maybe the next month and a half or so is going to be good for me.

"Well, I'm glad they get more attention than we do," Rikka pouts.

"I put up with the three of you all day during classes," I remind her, shaking my head.

"She's got a point," Kanta says. "Lay off, Rikka. You're going to make her not want to hang out with you if you're so clingy."

"Not likely," Rikka replies. "She's stuck with us."

"We're in my book," Minako says, flipping to a page where she's drawn the three of us, me sitting at my desk, Kanta sitting on it, with Minako and Rikka standing around me. We're laughing at something, and I just kind of stop and stare, as usual thoroughly impressed with Minako's amazing work. It almost feels like if you look long enough, we'll jump right off the page.

"See, even Minako agrees," Rikka says. "And you know she doesn't warm up to people easily."

We continue to walk, and I let the three of them chatter until I can slip away, keeping pace with an all-too-quiet Kurama. "You okay?" I ask him.

He nods, giving me a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "I wasn't quite expecting our afternoon to turn out like this."

"Me neither," I say. "To be fair, you have been taking up all of my time lately. Not that I've minded terribly, but…."

"But what?"

"Maybe this month apart will be good for us. I think I've been leaning on you too much."

"It's never bothered me," he replies, and I shrug.

"I get that, but it bothers me." I yank on my braid in agitation, meeting his green eyes for a second as we walk. "It's like...I'm pushing things off on you instead of standing on my own two feet. I don't like that. I want to get back to figuring out my way of handling my life. I want to be strong enough to face my battles in my own way. Right now...I'm just not. So, maybe while you're gone, I'll figure things out."

He nods, looking away from me, and the conversation falls between us, making me sigh. I thought he'd be happy to know I'm still looking for ways to better myself, to feel more comfortable in my own skin. Maybe I'm misreading things, and he's not even thinking about what I said. Maybe, he's thinking about the trials he's got ahead of him that he'll have to face alone. I think I would be, were I him.

"I'm going to miss you," I say after the silence has stretched a little too long. "And I know I'll be worried about you."

"Likewise on both counts," he replies without missing a beat.

"Not like I'm the one who's going to be waltzing into hostile territory and running the risk of having to fight my best friends," I say.

"Perhaps not, but sometimes the demons inside us are more frightening than those on the outside."

"Those analogies only work so well for actual demons," I tease, smiling. He gives me an unamused look, and I shrug. "I know what you're saying, really. And it's nice to know you'll be thinking of me. I'll be all right, though. I've been fighting all of my life, and most of that has been alone. I think I can handle a month."

"That's something else we have in common," he replies, and this time, he does smile, which is relieving. Whatever weird funk had settled over him dissipates with that one glance, and I find I feel much better now. I'd hate for us to part ways on a sour note, after all.

We arrive at the diner, Kurama and I waving to Keiko's dad before ordering and taking a seat at a table.

"This place always feels so warm and friendly," Rikka says, resting her head on the surface of the table.

"I know what you mean," I say, smiling as familiar face walks in the door. "Keiko!"

She looks over, the tired expression on her face slipping into a weary smile. "Asaki, Kurama, it's good to see you."

"Kurama?" Rikka asks, frowning.

"It's a nickname," Kurama says, and I wonder if that's just his go-to excuse when people slip up like that.

"Ah, sorry," Keiko says, walking over to us. "I'm a little out of sorts right now."

"Do you want to sit with us?" I ask her, frowning.

"Sure," she replies. "Let me just get changed. I'm sure Dad's going to ask me to help him at some point tonight and I don't want to get my school clothes messy." She waves vaguely before turning and slipping behind the counter where her father is chatting up a young couple. She says something to him and then heads up the stairs.

"She looks worried," Minako says, frowning as she flips open her sketchbook and begins to draw.

"Did something happen recently?" Rikka asks me.

"She's probably just stressed," I reply. "She's always got a lot on her plate." The others just accept this and start talking again, but I can't shake the feeling that it's taking Keiko just a bit too long. "I'm going to…." Kurama nods at me, his smile soft, and I find my words slipping away from me. He must be worried too.

"I think she might need a friendly face," he tells me.

"Me too." I get to my feet, making my way over to the counter. "Hey, Mr. Yukimura?"

"Afternoon, Asaki!" he says, his voice loud and bright. Mr. Yukimura is always so warm and pleasant, two things that I appreciate. He seems pretty easygoing, which makes it easier to understand why Keiko is so serious all the time. She probably looks after him a lot. Maybe even more than he knows.

"Do you mind if I go check on Keiko? She looked like she wasn't feeling too good."

"Sure thing," he says, swinging open the little door for me so I can get behind the counter. "Straight upstairs, second door on your right."

"Thanks," I tell him, following his directions. I've never been inside the living space of this shop before, but it's all made of the same dark wood as the shop itself. It feels old, and I wonder how long it's been a ramen shop, if it was ever just a house or if it's always been part eatery and part home. It occurs to me that I really don't know that much about Keiko or her family, despite all the time we've known each other. Some friend I am.

"Keiko?" I knock gently on the door to her room, saying, "It's Asaki."

"I-I'll be right out," she stammers, her voice sounding warbly.

"Hey, are you okay?" My words are met with silence, and I frown, slowly pushing open the door. Keiko's room is kind of small, but it's tidy to a fault, with a twin bed, a desk, and a few bookshelves. Not a thing looks out of place except for the crying girl sitting on her bed.

"S-sorry," she mumbles, wiping her eyes as she looks down at the ground.

"What for?" I ask, coming over to sit beside her.

"I know you were waiting for me, but I just…."

"Don't apologize for that," I tell her. "If you're not feeling up to it, you don't have to come down at all. I'll just say you aren't feeling well."

"No, no," she whispers, her voice tight as she tries to stem her crying. "I want to be around friendly faces right now. I'm just so tired."

"Worried about Yusuke?" I ask, and she stiffens, sniffling loudly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Why would I worry about that stupid jerk?" she growls, but I can hear it in her voice.

"Because he's a stupid jerk?" I supply. "I'm worried about him too. About all of them."

She sniffles again, but it sounds like she's got herself under control a bit better. "When does Kurama leave?"

"Tonight."

She sighs, getting to her feet and walking to her desk to retrieve a tissue. "You seem to be holding up pretty well."

"That's because he's only going to be gone for summer break," I say. "He'll be back before I can remember that I'm supposed to miss him."

"Liar," she says, smiling, and I have to laugh.

"You're right, but I know I'll be okay. And so will you." I stand up as well, smoothing out the blankets where I'd been sitting. "We're a lot stronger than the men in our lives give us credit for."

This time, she laughs, and I'm relieved to hear it. "I know that. Sometimes, it's easy to forget when everyone is busy powering up all the time."

"Seriously. Sometimes I wish they'd just chill out for a little while. Why does the world always need saving?"

"Because there's always a bigger asshole, I guess." We're both smiling now, and I'm really glad I came up here. Just by talking, we've made each other feel better, and I think we're closer for the effort.

Keiko changes, and we head downstairs to find our food waiting for us. Even Keiko has a bowl, courtesy of Kurama who'd apparently asked if her dad could make her her favorite. The look of gratitude on her face makes me want to hug Kurama myself, although I've had better ideas.

"So, Keiko," Rikka says, skipping formalities entirely. "Kanta's like a Urameshi fanboy. What can you tell us about him?"

She raises an eyebrow at Kanta, and I have to suppress a laugh. "Yusuke Urameshi is an idiot who really doesn't need any admirers."

"Oh, well, I just…." Kanta scratches the back of his head, looking chagrined.

"He's loud, rude, and perverted. He's always picking fights, and he's never going to stop looking for someone stronger than him." She slurps her noodles, saying, "He's also fiercely loyal, and he's got this sixth sense for fighting. It's almost creepy how good it is. Too bad that's the only thing he's smart about," she deadpans, shaking her head.

"Spoken like a woman in love," Rikka says, smirking.

Keiko blushes, saying, "I've made better choices."

"Love never feels like a choice," Minako says, putting the finishing touches on her ramen sketch as she slurps her noodles.

"True story," Kanta adds.

"Like you would know," Rikka teases, elbowing him and making him drop the pork dumpling he'd been trying to eat.

He narrows his eyes at her, saying, "I've been in love before."

"Oh yeah? With who?"

"None of your business," he replies, which is apparently the wrong answer.

"Kanta Ono, if you don't tell me, I'm going to ignore you for the rest of the night."

"Go for it," he says. "You won't make me talk."

She glares at him, indignant, before jabbing her chopsticks in his bowl and stealing one of his dumplings. I swear, she moves so fast even Hiei would have been impressed. Kanta stares, dumbfounded as she shoves the whole thing in her mouth, a satisfied grin on her face.

"Why do I even put up with you?" he grumbles, and I can't help but smile. I think I'm starting to understand the answer to that the more I see them together.

Rikka doesn't respond, making good on her promise to ignore him and instead grilling Keiko about her school, her friends, and if she knows any cute, single guys. I sit back and listen, grateful that my new world and my old can fit together so well.

We spend a few hours there, talking and joking around until it's finally late enough that we're willing to go our separate ways. Keiko waves us all out, with a smile, squeezing my hands and saying "Thanks, Asaki. You should come by again soon."

"Probably not until summer break ends, but I'll try," I tell her, smiling.

Rikka, Kanta, and Minako bid Kurama and I a good night after a block or so, our paths diverging.

"You better make sure she gets home safely," Rikka says to Kurama, pointing a finger at him.

"Of course," he replies. "Take care of yourselves. Have a good summer break."

"You too," Kanta says, pulling Rikka with him before she can offer a smart-ass reply.

I wave to them, even though their backs are all to me, sighing. "They're really good friends," I mutter, mostly to myself.

"They care for you very much," Kurama says, nodding. "And while this isn't the way I'd planned on us spending the afternoon, I think I learned to mind it less and less."

I smile, turning to head home. "Well, I'm glad. Now, I guess we should get going so you have time to say goodbye to your mom as well."

"Ever considerate," he quips, making me shoot him a dirty look.

"I don't like your tone," I tell him. "That didn't sound like a compliment."

"I always find myself wishing you'd worry about yourself just a little more," he replies, shrugging.

"I can assure you, I'm always worrying." I smile, folding my hands behind my back as I walk. "It's in my nature. I tell everyone I'm a fire demon, but actually, I'm a worrywart."

"Ah, my mistake," he says. "I take it the fire is just for show, then."

"Yep." I raise a hand, sparks flying to my fingertips. "Just a trick of the light."

"Hm." He takes my hand in his, leaving my fingers splayed, and I jump.

"K-Kurama?"

He stares down at my hand for a few seconds, just long enough to make me a little uncomfortable, before his deep green eyes meet mine, holding my gaze. "Checking for any tricks," he says, his voice low. It sends a shiver up my spine, and I have to pull my hand away, swallowing hard.

"A magician never reveals her secrets," I manage, trying to calm my racing heart. _What the hell was that just now_?

Kurama smiles, nodding. "Fair enough." And then he keeps walking as though nothing happened.

 _Seriously?! He didn't feel any of that?_ I grit my teeth, kind of agitated. How is it fair that he can do that to me and then walk away so calmly? Fine. Two can play at that game.

"Thanks for walking me home, Kurama." I smile warmly at him, and he returns the look.

"Of course, Asaki. You know I don't mind."

"Hm. You've got something in your hair," I lie, reaching toward him. He stops walking, and I run my fingers through the hair near his face, letting my fingers trail against his skin just the tiniest bit. "Just some fuzz." I smile, turning and walking on, immensely pleased at how red his face had gotten. _Stupid jerk_ _indeed._

We walk on, neither of us remarking on the pair of strange exchanges between the two of us, and when we stop outside my apartment, I sigh.

"This is it, huh? You're really going to be in Demon World tomorrow."

"I will," he says, pulling a rose out of his hair. "A token."

I take it, smiling. "As usual."

"Perhaps." He doesn't offer anything further, and I frown, wondering what he's thinking. "Asaki...when all this trouble in Demon World blows over, there's something I want to tell you. Will you wait for me until then?"

"Sure," I reply, touching one of the rose petals absently. "Are you sure it can wait? You know you can tell me anything."

"It has to," he says. "You're not the only person who's going to be doing a bit of soul searching over this next month. However, knowing you'll be waiting on the other side is...comforting."

"Always," I mumble, smiling bashfully up at him. "I'm here for you, regardless of what you need."

He chuckles softly, taking both of my hands, careful not to bump the rose, and pressing his hands over mine. "Thank you, Asaki. That means more to me than you could ever know."

"I'm glad." I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Now shoo before I get even mushier than I have been. Tell your mom I'll see her Sunday."

"I will," he replies, dropping my hands. "Have a good break, Asaki. I'll see you when I get back."

"You too. Be safe, and don't worry about anything here. I've got it all under control!" I snap a fake salute, and he laughs.

"Good to know. Good night, Asaki."

"Good night, Kurama." I watch him leave until I can't see him anymore, swallowing hard. _Please, please, be safe._ Yanking hard on my braid, I turn and head inside, sitting down on the couch and flipping on the TV for the first time in ages, but the mindless prattle irritates rather than distracts. Getting to my feet, I head back to my room, flopping down on my bed and reaching for Shiro, setting him so he's staring at me.

"Well, Shiro, it looks like it's just you and me again for a while."

* * *

A/N: So, I shouldn't ever say I'm going to stick to a schedule. I always manage to sabotage myself! Anyway, so much of this chapter surprised me, but a lot of it needed to happen. I love all of the women in YYH and I feel like they don't get nearly as much credit. Asaki and Keiko having that moment together was something I think I needed as much as they did.

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **bluerose921, Sidako, Silverwing013, Katsip12, Irina Hunter, YukinaBlueRose, Faery 66,** and one Guest for the reviews! You guys are awesome!


	57. Day One

The next morning finds me on a train bright and early, heading for Genkai's. I'd gotten up at the crack of dawn to pack, throwing only the essentials in my bag. It isn't a long train ride, and by the time I get off and make my way toward Genkai's temple, I'm wide awake and excited. This is the start of something new, and I can't wait to face it. With any luck, I'll come out of this much stronger.

Or dead, judging by the sudden appearance of multiple strong energy sources. Genkai had told me there were supernatural beings in the forest surrounding her home, but they were nothing to worry about. These, however...these were not your typical roaming low-level demons. I brace myself in the thick of the trees, trying to pinpoint locations when something whizzes past my ear. It would have hit me in the head if I hadn't dodged at the last second.

Spinning around, my eyes fall on Rinku, the yo-yo-wielding younger demon from the Dark Tournament. He gives me a smirk, swinging his yo-yos around. "You've got quick reflexes, but can you keep dodging?" He shoots both of them at me, and I backpedal, letting them miss their mark.

"What the hell are you up to?" I ask as one of his weapons embeds itself into the tree to my right.

"Fighting, duh," he replies, and I barely step out of the way in time to dodge again.

"Yes, I can see that," I say, "but why me?"

"Why not?" His yo-yos circle around me, and he pulls them tight, trapping me in the strings.

"Because I don't feel like burning down the forest," I grumble, firing up and incinerating the string. The yo-yos drop harmlessly to the dirt, and I step away from them, rubbing my arms. Where the string had touched me, little marks fade away, along with the slight burning sensation. If that had stayed around me much longer, I think it would have hurt.

"No fair," he grumbles. "You can't do that!"

"What isn't fair is you sneaking up on me like that," I reply as I catch a knife by the hilt that attempted to impale me. "You and whoever else is out here," I growl, turning to find Chu with a big grin on his face, a mostly empty bottle of sake in his hand. Taking the knife he'd thrown and sticking it in the tree Rinku's yo-yo had hit earlier, I sigh. Why do I feel like Genkai is responsible for this?

"Good to see ya, girlie," Chu slurs, waving absently with the bottle as Rinku takes a few steps back to get out of the way. "Careful with the flames, there all right? Don't wanna see this place go up in smoke, do we?"

"Maybe if people would stop trying to pick a fight," I tell him, crossing my arms.

"That's really too bad," he says, stretching his arms over his head. "Nothin' sobers me up like a good spar. Come on, Asaki. For old times' sake?"

Apparently, I'm not getting a choice as he chugs the rest of the bottle, wiping his mouth before he drops it and comes at me. I really hadn't gotten to see much of Yusuke's fight with Chu, so I knew next to nothing about the way he worked. Looks like I'm about to get a crash course as I block his first punch, the impact setting my bones rattling.

"And to think I started the day in a good mood," I growl, launching a fist to his face that he manages to dodge, landing one to my side and forcing me to stumble. A kick to his head shoulder-the highest point I can reach-makes him stagger, and he falls back, grinning.

"I like a woman who ain't afraid to hit back," he says.

"I can appreciate a man who doesn't treat me like I'm not a good fight," I tell him, trying not to smile. These morons who're always so happy when they beat the crap out of each other are rubbing off on me.

"Let's see what you've really got then," he says, launching a series of punches, each more disorienting than the last. I manage to dodge a lot of them, whenever I take a blow landing one in return. His drunken fighting style is making me slightly nauseous. It's not predictable, but I'm actually kind of enjoying the challenge. It's been a while since I've actually gotten to fight someone like this and even longer since it's been difficult.

A few bumps and bruises later, and Chu is on the ground, grinning as I wipe my hands on my pants. I seriously wish I'd thought to wear shorts, but for some strange reason, I'd thought the training wouldn't start until I got to the damn temple. I swear, if this is how the rest of my summer is going to go, I may just quit now.

 _You won't. You're done with running away, remember?_ Oh, yeah, that's right. I did tell myself that, didn't I?

Suddenly, the air around me grows cold, and my mind blanks. A shudder trips down my spine, and I take a step back from Chu as Touya steps out of the shadows of the trees, his eyes narrowed. The temperature continues to drop, and I can feel the panic rising in my chest as Chu and Rinku both back even further away.

"My turn," Touya says, his voice low. He extends a hand, shards of ice piercing my skin. I can't move, can't dodge, can't think as blood trickles down my arms and face from where he hit me. He raises an eyebrow, saying, "Don't underestimate me just because you're fire and I'm ice." With that, he forms and ice sword, charging. It skewers straight through me, and I feel a shock of pain as it punctures one of my lungs, the breath leaving my body as quickly as it comes. As numbness races through me, my skin prickling as my healing kicks in and Touya pulls his sword out, eyes wide. Blood gushes from the wound, splattering on the ground, dyeing my shirt deep red.

Suddenly, rage pours through me, my skin alight with flames as I land a punch directly into Touya's face. He shouts, and I grab him by the throat, throwing him to the ground. It's so cold. _So, so cold._ I'm not even entirely conscious of my actions at this point. All I can think is that if Touya isn't here then neither is the cold as I pummel him, fire flying off of me and sparking the ground around us.

"Easy, easy!" Arms come around my waist as a sharp breeze pushes the cold air away, leaving me summer-heat warm. My fire dies instantly, and my brain slowly begins to process the fact that I am not in fact locked in a room freezing to death. I'm in a forest, on my way to Genkai's, and the person I just beat the shit out of is not actually an enemy.

"You all right now, Asaki?" the person who'd pulled me off Touya asks, the familiar accent further returning me to my senses.

"Fine, fine," I whisper to Jin, breathless as I swipe the tears out of my eyes. Touya stirs, and I ball my hands into fists at how battered, bruised, and burned he is. I grit my teeth, saying, "I'm sorry. I don't handle cold well."

"So Genkai told us," Touya grunts, his breathing rough. "I don't think I realized just how badly your reaction would be."

I touch a hand to the hole in my shirt where he'd stabbed me, saying, "Don't ever surprise me like that again. I wasn't exactly in control of my actions." I reach down to help him to his feet, shooting some of my healing energy into him.

"Noted," he replies, shaking his head.

"I think that be enough fightin' for now, miss," Jin says, shaking his head. "Master Genkai wanted us all to test you, she did, but I don't think that's a good idea."

"Appreciated," I tell him, tugging on the end of my braid. "I think I need to have a word or two with Genkai after this anyway."

"She really beat you good, Touya," Rinku says, walking out of the trees, his hands linked behind his head.

"She nearly did him in," Chu adds, stamping out a little fire on his way. I've left a sufficient amount of charred greenery here, much to my disgruntlement. Knowing exactly how volatile I am, how dangerous this would have been, Genkai still thought it was a good idea to spring this on me. I'm more than a little agitated.

"I was caught off guard," Touya retorts.

"You think you were?" I snap, narrowing my eyes. "If I had been anyone else, you would have killed me."

"I'm surprised it didn't," Rinku says, doing some tricks with a yo-yo.

"Master Genkai did tell us she has healing powers," Touya replies. "You would have known that if you'd been paying attention instead of playing with your toys."

"Hey, rude!" Rinku says, launching a yo-yo at Touya who deflects it with a blast of icy wind that I notice Jin makes sure to direct away from me.

"All righty, fellas," Jin says. "Less fightin' and more walkin'! It's on to Master's temple, it is." He picks up the bag I'd discarded when Rinku had first started yo-yoing at me, giving me a smile before leading the way. I follow behind, trying to ignore my still-shaking hands.

"So, what are you guys doing here aside from assaulting passersby?" I ask, trying to calm my still slightly frayed nerves.

"Master Genkai told us about Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama going to Demon World and for what purpose," Touya says. "We were asked to come here to train in case things go awry."

"I see I'm not the only one," I reply, wondering who'd asked them. To be fair, Genkai had promised to train me before we'd known anything was tense in Demon World in the first place. Then again, when are things ever not? My father had kept me well-versed in the politics of the three worlds for most of my life, so I've known the gist of how the balances of power shift or don't shift. It's fascinating and terrifying all at once.

"We've only been here for a week and already I'm tired of it," Rinku says, shaking his head. "It's nothing but train train train, all the time. I just want to play."

"You'll not get stronger that way," Jin tells him. "Gotta work at it, ya do. Why, just think o' the look on Yusuke's face when ya come outta Master's training and give him a run for his money!"

"That's what I'm lookin' forward to!" Chu laughs. "A rematch with ol' Yusuke oughta do me some real good."

"You guys are crazy," I reply, smiling. All this stress just for a chance to get stronger and fight even more. Although, I kind of get it. I worked myself ragged when I wanted to fight Hide and escape home after all. Something tells me this is going to make that work look timid in comparison.

When we arrive at the temple, two more people are fighting outside the main building while Genkai looks on, barking critiques. "Shishi, you're too flashy. If even this clown can tone down the theatrics, so can you."

"Old hag!" the demon in question shouts as he falls back on the ground, his opponent wiping sweat from his brow.

"That's no way to talk to your master," the victor of the bout says. He's got this crazy blonde hair that sticks straight up, and I can't think why, but he looks...vaguely familiar.

"I don't expect manners from someone like him," Genkai says, walking between the two of them toward us. "You're late," she growls. "And why the hell are you covered in blood?"

"That's a pretty stupid question considering you sicced these guys on me," I tell her. "Why don't you do us all a favor and not do that again. Touya almost killed me, and I might have returned the favor if Jin hadn't stopped me."

"Not an experience I want to repeat," Touya says.

"Tough," Genkai replies. "If you're ever going to get over that silly fear of yours," she growls at me, "then you have to practice."

"On my own terms!" I shout. "Like you think I don't know how irrational it is. Excuse me for being traumatized."

"You don't need a weakness like that," Genkai snaps, shaking her head. "All it takes is a little cold air and you lose your head. That's an easily exploitable weakness."

"Weakness?" Touya says. "She went berserk. She would have burned down the whole forest. I'm not so sure that's a fault."

"How often does anything other than a full mental breakdown occur?" Genkai asks.

I grit my teeth, saying, "That's the norm. But it's gotten better, I swear!"

"Better isn't good enough," Genkai says. "While you're here, you're going to work on it 'on your own terms', do I make myself clear?"

We lock eyes for a long moment before I snap, "Fine."

"Good." She gestures toward the two who'd been fighting earlier, saying, "This is Suzuki, and this is Shishi. They fought against Team Urameshi in the Dark Tournament."

Well, I must have missed those fights. Oops. "Nice to meet you," I say, bowing.

"Miss Asaki," Suzuki says, nodding. "Likewise."

Shishi clicks his teeth, saying, "I'm not about to make nice with a spoiled princess."

It takes me all of a second to process what he's just said, and I snort a laugh. Wow, it's been a while since someone has addressed me like that. "Fine by me," I reply, grinning. "That saves me having to treat you with any amount of respect."

"She has ya there, Shishi," Jin says, folding his hands behind his head. "I dinna know what you're playin' at, but you know's well as we do, she can fight ya. She beat these three here, and they all had the jump on her, they did." He gestures to Touya, Rinku, and Chu as he says this.

"I have no intention of fighting someone so decidedly beneath me," Shishi says.

"That's pretty rude," I reply, rolling my shoulders in an attempt to shrug off some of my irritation. "You're insulting three very capable fighters here."

"If they were capable, they wouldn't have lost so easily."

"Keep running your mouth, kid," Genkai snaps at Shishi. "You two are going to fight at sunset."

"Excuse me?" he sputters. "I just said-"

"Put your money where your mouth is," she replies, waving a hand at him. "My house, my rules. If you don't like it, you can leave."

He grumbles something under his breath as he stalks away, into the temple.

"Don't mind him, sheila," Chu says, throwing an arm across my shoulders. "He'll warm up to you once you've knocked him around a few times."

"What is it with all of you muscleheads and needing to get your skulls bashed in before you can like a person?" I ask, exasperated.

"Beats me," Rinku says. "I liked you before you beat me."

"Appreciated," I sigh.

"All right, go inside and get cleaned up," Genkai tells me. "If you head straight back, you should find Yukina. She can show you to your room. But no messing around. I want you to meet me out here in 20 minutes."

"Yes, ma'am," I reply, stepping out from under Chu's arm and heading inside. Genkai's home is all tatami and wood, with sliding rice paper doors, like a traditional Japanese house. It takes me back to my childhood, visiting the homes of various dignitaries and officials on the heels of my father, several hundred years ago.

Yukina is standing in the hallway, dusting off an end table when I approach her. "Ah, Asaki!" she says, turning and smiling at me. "Hello, how are you?"

"Doing well, and yourself?"

"I'm all right," she replies. "It's been quite some time since I last saw you."

"Not since the Dark Tournament," I say, shaking my head.

"What on earth has happened to you?" She gestures to my blood-stained chest, and I shrug.

"Got into a scuffle on my way here. Genkai said you could show me to my room? I need to change. I've got less than 20 minutes before she comes looking for me, and I don't think I need that on my first day here."

"Of course," she replies. "Right this way." She leads me to my room, which is cozy. It's got a twin bed, a bookshelf, and a dresser, all made of dark wood that matches the walls and floor.

"Thanks, Yukina," I say, slumping down onto the bed.

"You're welcome," she says. "I hope Genkai doesn't work you too hard while you're here."

"I'm hoping for the opposite," I reply, smiling at her confused expression. "I'm here to better myself, you know? And if I don't push as hard as I can, then I can't be unhappy when I don't get the results I want."

She nods, saying, "Well, then I'll wish for something you can challenge yourself with."

"Thanks." She turns to leave, and I get to my feet, an idea popping into my head. "Hey, Yukina?"

"Hm?" Her red eyes remind me of her brother, but where his always seem so angry, hers are cold and distant, like she's trying to suppress dark thoughts. I never did ask her what all had happened when she was under that wart Tarukane's roof, but I wonder if that isn't part of what she's trying to hold back.

"Will you help me with something while I'm here?"

"If it's within my power," she says, smiling softly.

"I honestly think you're the only one who can do it."

…

After a hot shower and a change of clothes, I feel like I'm ready for anything. When I step out into the summer heat, I'm grateful for my loose shorts and tank top, as opposed to the jeans and T-shirt I wore on the way over. Genkai is standing by the front door, holding up a stopwatch.

"Did I make it?" I ask.

"Ten seconds to spare," Genkai replies, stopping the timer and stowing it in a pocket. "Are you sure you're ready for this? I have no time to waste on whiners and quitters."

"Yusuke is both of those," I say, and she narrows her eyes.

"Or smartasses," she snaps.

"Sorry. I'm prepared to work through whatever you want to throw at me, I promise."

"Good. We're going to start with your human form. Go ahead and change." I do as she says, and she looks me over, sighing. "Looks like we're starting from scratch. You have hardly any muscle mass, and you're on the round side." I raise an eyebrow, surprised. Sure, my human form isn't nearly as wiry as my demon form, but I've never described myself as "round" before. She ignores me and continues. "That would be fine if you weren't expected to fight. I need your body lean and your senses sharp. We'll start with a basic workout routine. I'll work through it with you the first time, but after that, it'll be up to you to do this in human form every morning. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"After lunch, we'll get started on your spiritual powers. When you reach the point that you can access your full spirit potential even in your demon body, we'll know we've succeeded there. At sundown, you'll fight Shishi so I can gauge where to start with training your demon half. Now, let's get started."

All of the physical exercises are pretty standard for building muscle mass and endurance, two things my other half excels at. This body? Not so much. By the time we finish the lap around the inner grounds, which takes well over an hour on its own, I'm absolutely exhausted and drenched in sweat. Stupid squishy human flesh. After my second shower today, I eat a quick lunch courtesy of Yukina before Genkai leads me to a room deeper into the temple.

It's all hardwood floors, so clean they practically glisten, which seems unusual in a structure this old. This place feels a little heavier than the rest of the temple as well, but I can't put my finger on why. It's darker than the other rooms, with only a single light to illuminate the windowless space, and Genkai doesn't say a word as we step inside, the silence just shy of uncomfortable.

"Even with your crap spiritual awareness," she says, making me jump at the sudden break in the quiet, "you should be able to tell this room feels different."

"It does," I reply. "What's up with that?"

"This room has been purified so many times that even the wood remembers the process. Because of that, nothing wholly demonic can enter this place."

"That's incredible," I whisper, looking around with new eyes, surprised that such a thing is possible.

"It's the perfect place to block out all other influences and focus on what makes us human."

"I don't know what you mean." I've never really thought about the differences between humans and demons on a spiritual level before. I know that demons are born looking different, belonging to a different plane of existence, and often with unusual powers, but many humans can train themselves to have their own special abilities. Other than that, I'm not sure where she's going with this.

"That's something I expect you to think about while you're here," she tells me. "You're blessed and cursed with being in the unique position to look at both halves on a personal level. What differences do you notice in one body or the other? And I don't just mean that you look different or have different powers. Dig deeper, and really search yourself. That's what you're going to do for the next hour."

I stare at her, dumbfounded, not even sure where to start. She doesn't offer anything more, just leans against the wall, crosses her arms, and closes her eyes. I run a hand through my hair, thinking. What makes humans and demons different, but not on a physical level? Sitting down on the ground, I close my eyes, wondering if meditating on it might help. It's been such a busy day that it takes a good ten minutes before I can properly clear my mind. By the time I finally do, I try to focus on my body, thinking maybe that's a good place to start.

After what must have been an hour of nothing, Genkai shifts from her position, and I open my eyes, blinking blearily. "Any luck?" she asks. I shake my head, getting shakily to my feet. Something about being in the room almost put me in some kind of trance. There's a lot of latent spirit energy here, even if I can't quite make out anything specific.

"We'll try again Monday," she says, nodding. "Come on, let's head outside."

I follow her out, grateful for the summer sun after so much time in that weird, dark room. Everything is so lush and green around us, the sound of cicadas constant background music for this time of year. I can hear the sounds of fighting nearby, and I wonder who's sparring now. Genkai must have a different training regimen for the demons than for me, for obvious reasons. There's zero chance my human body can keep up. I don't know if it ever will.

"All right," Genkai says, stopping in a clearing off to one side of the main building. "Tell me, how do you access your healing powers?"

"Access?" I frown, saying, "It's difficult to describe. When I need to heal myself, it just kind of happens. When I want it stronger or faster, I just have to think about it. If I need to heal others, it only requires a little more thought."

"It has to come from somewhere," Genkai says. "It appears that you're so used to using your spiritual energy in such a limited way that it's become natural. That's worked for you so far, but I want more from you. Your mother and her mother before her, on back for centuries could use their power to banish demons as easily as breathing, could heal vast crowds of minor injuries, could sense every demon in a several mile radius. You had no one to train you, and therefore, your gift developed the way it did. Now, I'm going to help mold you into someone your ancestors would be proud of." After a pause, she says, "Or not. From what you told me, they all sound like trash anyway."

I snort at this, covering my hand with my mouth to suppress another laugh. "Not all of them, I'm sure," I reply, grinning. It's been a long time since we had that conversation at the Dark Tournament about my family, but she still remembers.

"Are you ready to push yourself?" she asks me.

"Yes."

"Then dig deep, Asaki. It's all inside of you, buried under so much crap you could start a manure farm. I'm going to help you pull it out."

…

When the sun finally sets for the day, my head is swimming from trying to focus so much. My eyesight is fuzzy, and every action feels like I have to fight in order to accomplish it. How Genkai thinks I'm going to be any kind of a match for Shishi is beyond me.

"All right, that's enough. You can use your demon form now."

 _Thank goodness._ I change bodies, relieved as my demonic senses come back to me. I can sense everyone nearby, feel their energy levels, how tired-or in Jin's case, energetic-they are. It's relieving, like I've not had my eyes this whole time and only just got them placed back inside my skull. Normally, it doesn't bother me to be that blind, but I don't normally spend this much time around demons as a human either. As exhausted as my mind is, my body feels fresh since I haven't used it much today. At least I have that going for me.

Genkai and I walk around to the front of the temple where everyone is waiting, much to my irritation. One of us is going to be a spectacle today, and I have no intention of it being me. I don't know how much training these guys have been doing since the Dark Tournament, but I'm hoping, if I can beat Rinku, Chu, and Touya, I'll be able to beat this Shishi guy too.

"You look tired, sheila," Chu says as Genkai and I stop in front of everyone.

"Nah, it's been a walk in the park," I reply, shrugging. My eyes fall on the tiny form riding on Suzuki's shoulder, and I frown. "Shishi?"

"Tch. Let's get this over with," he replies, his voice higher pitched than this morning.

"You're going to fight me like that?" I ask, frowning.

"I don't even plan to break a sweat," he says, hopping down from his perch.

"I mean, me neither, but I'm not over here putting my human foot forward." I stretch my arms up over my head, looking to Genkai. "I guess you can give the signal?"

She nods. "Drawing blood is an automatic disqualification. You're testing each other, not killing. Your goal is to force the opponent to be incapable of battle. Ready?"

"If I must," Shishi sighs.

"Sure thing," I add.

"Fight!"

Shishi's fast. He gets in my face before I have time to react, but when he goes to hit me, I fire up, making him hiss in pain as his fist suffers a light burn. "Fire demons," he growls, narrowing his already rather small eyes as he lands on the ground.

"Whatever the hell you are," I reply, rolling my shoulders as I douse my flames. Moving forward, I launch a kick that he easily dodges, hitting me in the stomach. I stumble back, rubbing my middle. _He's tiny, but that hurt._ Letting my demon energy swirl around me, I set the ground aflame, but the fire is harmless. It just sits there, surrounding us. Shishi leaps up, but when he falls and realizes it's not going to hurt him, he frowns.

"Show off. You're a drama queen."

"Means a lot coming from you, Shishi!" Chu calls from the side, making me grin.

"Shut up, you overgrown liquor store," he squeaks in reply, charging for me again. I dodge, punching him squarely in the face and sending him flying.

We go at it, trading blows for a while, with me only healing the stronger hits. My human side is the one that's drained, and that's where that bit of my power comes from. After a few minutes of back and forth, I pull the flames on the ground into me, pressing my hands firmly together in front of my chest.

Shishi charges in, and I give him a smile, meeting his attack by splaying my fingers, engulfing him in flames. He screams as the fire licks him, rolling around on the ground to try to extinguish it. When it finally goes out, his entire body is covered in first-degree burns.

"All right, I surrender!" he cries, putting his hands to his singed hair. "My poor beautiful hair!"

I stare, dumbfounded as Genkai pronounces me the winner and Chu, Rinku, Jin, and Touya come over to congratulate me. "That's it, huh?" I mumble, staggering a little. Jin and Chu catch me, and I run a hand over my face.

"I don't think you can stand any more," Rinku says, looking concerned.

"Mm." I step away from the men holding me up to approach Shishi who has returned to his larger size. He eyes me with distaste as I extend a hand. "Good fight."

Growling, he grudgingly takes me hand, saying, "Whatever." When our skin touches, I push some healing energy into him, relieving him of most of his burns. His eyes widen as the word spins. Once again, Chu catches me.

"You don't know when to give in, do you, girlie?" Chu asks, shaking his head. "It's only your first day and you're already going for broke."

"Typical of Asaki," Genkai replies. "Come on. Yukina's made dinner." She leads the way, and we all follow, a sulking Shishi and a pensive Suzuki in the lead, Chu offering to carry me and meeting my staunch refusal.

"I'm good, I swear."

"Just as well," he replies, laughing. "You still owe me from last time."

"Oh!" I'd totally forgotten the date I'd promised Chu what feels like years ago. "You're right."

"I'm looking to collect, if you've got the time," he says, grinning.

"You'll have to catch me next Sunday," I tell him. "I'm full-booked tomorrow."

"It's a date!" he replies.

"Ooh!" Rinku sing-songs. "Chu and Asaki on a date?"

"I thought you were with Kurama?" Touya asks, frowning.

"We're just friends," I reply. _Why the actual hell does everyone think we're a couple?_

"Does he know that?"

"Of course," I say, confused. What kind of question is that?

"If you say so."

Still pondering Touya's words, we step into the kitchen to a huge, meat-heavy meal courtesy of Yukina. She gives me a smile as the guys all dig in with gusto.

"Meat!" Several of them chorus at once, which makes me laugh. I eat much more slowly, worried my stomach might rebel at any moment after all the work I've put in today. When it's all gone, I notice Yukina has disappeared from the room. I think I know where she went, something that both concerns and heartens me. Step one.

I offer to clean up after dinner, and no one complains, leaving me to it. The dish-washing is mindless and calming, two things I need after a day like today. It's the beginning of a new chapter in my life, and I'm going to keep writing it as best I can, one day at a time.

Once I'm done with the dishes, all I want is to sleep for the rest of my life, but I know I have to get up bright and early tomorrow to head back home. Kurama's mom is expecting me in the afternoon, which means I'll have time to kill, but I think I'd rather spend it knocking around town than here at the temple. If I only get one day off a week, I intend to enjoy it. That's what I tell myself as I approach my room, bracing for what I know is waiting inside.

When I open the door, quickly stepping in, my stomach plummets at the sheer cold, ice coating the room and flurries whipping through the air. As I sink to my knees, my mind going blank, all traces of the cold disappear, revealing Yukina standing there, frowning.

"I don't think this is going to work, Asaki," she says, approaching me and helping me to my feet.

I fire up, trying to erase any traces of chill from my skin. "Maybe not like this," I say. "Let's start smaller next time?"

She nods, sighing. "I don't mind helping you, Asaki. I'd like to see you overcome this fear very much, but I also don't want to hurt you."

"I know that, and I'm forever grateful." I bow to her, saying, "At any point, if you're no longer comfortable with this, please let me know, and we can stop. I just...need to do this."

"All right," she says. "We can try again when you come back from town."

"Thank you, Yukina. Have a good night."

"You as well."

She leaves, and I hop in the shower, scrubbing both my demon and human bodies until my skin is red. When I climb into bed after, it's in human form, knowing exactly how sore I'm going to be tomorrow. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered me, but I can't deny anymore that I'm regaining the ability to feel pain. I don't know why, and I don't know how, but I wish it had picked a more opportune time to come back. It started sporadically back with Mimic, and slowly but surely it's become a regular occurrence as though all those years of feeling nothing never happened.

Sighing, I roll over, pulling the covers over my head. Today is only day one of what's going to be a very long summer. _I hope Kurama's doing okay_. That's my last thought as exhaustion wins out, sending me off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Two things first: I probably have "Shisi" in here instead of "Shishi" at least once. If so, I'm sorry. Also, these accents are going to kill me. Regardless of my poor ability to write them consistently, I hope you guys still hear Chu and Jin in your heads.

Anyway! I'm beyond excited for this next section, even if it means my job has gotten a bit harder. There are so many things I need to fit in here, and it feels like there isn't nearly enough time, something a few of you have picked up on already. I'll figure it out...somehow. The thing that makes me happiest about this is the potential for Asaki to grow. She's going to become a big, beautiful flower, dammit! I swear on my writing.

Speaking of that, I'm sorry this was so late. Things have really been hitting the fan lately. I hope you all enjoy, nevertheless. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **blureose921, DarkMagician19, Katsip12, Lestatsgirl15,** and one guest for the reviews!


	58. Breaking the Ice

I start Genkai's training routine, my human body already protesting. Everything hurts, which I'm very much not used to. It's weird to have gone so long without feeling pain to slowly but surely being able to feel every little thing again. Where I'd thought not hurting made me strong, in reality it's made me weak and less capable of handling basic pain. Still, I push through, and by the time I'm done, the sun is peeking its head over the trees. That's my signal to head home.

I sleep on the train, nearly missing my stop, but when I get off and step into the familiar streets, I stretch really hard, slipping into my demon skin. After heading home to grab anything I might have left behind, I hang out at a table outside a café, doing homework and watching passersby, just enjoying my time until I have to go see Shiori. One person in particular catches my eye, and I get to my feet to wave and call, "Kuwabara!"

My large, orange-haired friend turns to see me, pulling his hands from his pockets to wave back. "Hey, Asaki! It's been a while!"

It really has, and seeing him now makes me realize just how much I've missed him. I'm a pretty terrible friend. "It's good to see you. Where are you off to?"

"Actually, I got some of the guys together from last time. You know, Kaito and Kido and stuff. We're getting lunch." He pauses for a second before saying, "You wanna join us?"

"Sure, if it's no trouble," I reply, smiling. Leave it to Kuwabara to keep in touch with everyone even after all that nonsense with Sensui has ended.

"No way," Kuwabara grins. "It'll give us time to catch up."

"For real." I toss my trash, getting to my feet and throwing my schoolwork into my bag before joining him. "What have you been up to?"

"Not much," he replies, shrugging. "Tech is like a whole different world from Sarayashiki."

"That makes sense," I say. "I mean, high school is optional, you know? So, in theory, you've got a lot of kids who actually want to be there."

"It makes a huge difference." Kuwabara nods as he says this, adding, "It's like…I feel like I can escape from just being a dumb punk and learn about who I want to be. Not that I want to give up fighting or getting stronger." He shoots me a look like he's worried I'll judge him, but I just smile.

"I know what you mean," I tell him. "Honestly, that's what going to school has been for me this whole time: an escape. Being here, pretending I belong, I've been able to figure out who I am and what I want from my life."

"You do belong," Kuwabara says, looking sheepish as a blush creeps across his face. "You don't really have to pretend, you know."

"Thanks, Kuwabara. That means a lot to me." When I give him another smile, he looks away, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, any time. Just because we haven't seen each other in a while doesn't mean we aren't still good friends."

"Of course!" I clap my hands together, and he jumps, which makes me grin. "All right, so how are your classes going? Have you started your summer homework yet?"

"Homework!" he cries, looking aghast. "It's the second day of break!"

"Just you wait," I say, shaking my head in mock seriousness. "It'll be over before you know it, and you'll be cramming at the end."

"No way!" he whines, and his hangdog expression just makes me laugh even more.

We banter back and forth like this the whole walk to the place we're getting lunch with the others, which turns out to be a little diner that specializes in okonomiyaki. When we step inside, we're waved over by Yana, who's sitting at a table with Kaito, Kido, and Mitarai.

"I don't recall Miss Anno being invited to our little get-together," Kaito says, pushing his glasses up on his nose as Mitarai pulls a chair up for me.

I thank him before saying, "Sorry, _senpai,_ " I quip, and he rolls his eyes. "I see enough of you as it is."

"Oh yeah," Kuwabara says. "You go to school with him and Kurama, right?"

"Unfortunately," I reply, shrugging as a waitress comes by and takes our orders. "What have the rest of you been up to, since I don't care about Kaito." He huffs, and I shoot him a grin that catches him off guard, making him push his glasses up yet again. Nervous habit, I wonder?

"Not much," Kido says. "Things have been quiet ever since those guys took care of Sensui."

"Too quiet," Yana replies. "And apparently, Genkai's got some other people to train, so she doesn't have time for us."

"Not that we need it," Kaito adds. "I think she taught us all she could about mastering our territories. The rest is up to us."

"What about you, Mitarai?" I ask, looking over at him. "Things any better at school?"

He shrugs, saying, "I think so. At least the bullies have stopped picking on me."

"If they give you trouble, let me know," Kuwabara says. "I haven't pummeled a guy in a while, and I can't let myself get soft just because Urameshi's away."

"Oh, no, really!" Mitarai says, looking flustered. "It's fine."

"He's mostly kidding," I reply, Kuwabara and I sharing a look that only makes Mitarai more nervous.

"I bet the bullies have stopped messing with you because you look more confident," Yana says. "I thought you were kind of creepy-looking before, but you're totally chill now."

"Creepy!" Mitarai gasps.

"You were on the wrong side for a while," Kaito adds.

"So were you," I snap, coming to Mitarai's defense. If he looked confident before, he looks like he wants to leave now. "Need I remind you how close you nearly came to being on the wrong side of Kurama?"

"No, you really don't," he says. "I am well-aware of the trouble I nearly brought on myself."

"Everyone makes mistakes," I say, shaking my head. "We may fight for the wrong reasons, but if we don't fight, we won't learn what the right ones are."

"Exactly!" Kuwabara says. "I don't hold anything against you, Mitarai."

"Thanks, Kuwabara," he sighs.

Just then, the food gets brought out, and all conversation ceases in favor of digging in. It's good, and all the different smells from all the different flavors is amazing. I don't think this food will help with muscle-building, but after yesterday, I feel like treating myself once a week won't kill me. That doesn't stop me from being a little less generous with the mayonnaise than I might normally have been.

Sitting around talking with everyone makes me wish I didn't have to go, but around three in the afternoon, I have to call it quits. "I have to go see Kurama's mom," I tell them. "I promised her I would teach her how to dance for her wedding."

"You don't look like the dancing type," Kaito says, and I shrug.

"I've got over three hundred years' worth of knowledge crammed up in my skull. Incidentally, I don't look like I'm that old either."

"She has a point," Yana says as Mitarai mutters something that sounds like, "Three hundred?!"

"Hey, you should come next week too," Kuwabara says. "Same time, same place."

"Sounds good," I reply, smiling. "Catch you guys later!"

They wave goodbyes, and I skip out into the street, sliding into human form. My whole body aches, and I once again find myself wishing I couldn't feel pain as I walk stiffly to Kurama's house. How exactly am I supposed to teach dancing if every movement hurts? _By sucking it up. You put this on yourself._ Sighing, I do some stretches as I walk, hoping I can do this, despite the aching.

When I knock on the door of the Minamino's, Kokoda opens the door. "Hey, Asaki," he says, smiling. "Come on in."

I step inside, saying, "It's been a while. How are you?"

"I'm doing well," he replies. "I'm really glad it's summer vacation, although I was hoping I'd get to hang out with Shuichi."

"Me too," I say, pulling a face that makes him laugh. "We'll have to give him grief for leaving us when he comes back."

"You're right," he agrees. "Well, come on into the living room. Dad and Mom are waiting."

Something about that statement gives me pause, and I wonder for the first time, about Kokoda's birth mother. Did she pass away like mine did, or was she just out of the picture? Either way, there was something comforting about the idea that Shiori was dear enough to him that he could call her "mom" without a moment's hesitation. Then again, who knows what's going on in his head or if he'd struggled with the idea of calling someone else his mother and come to terms with it.

As he walks away, a chill races down my spine, and the air around Kokoda warps just a little. "Kokoda?"

He stops, turning to face me, and the distortion is gone. "What is it, Asaki?"

"N-nothing," I reply, shaking my head. He shrugs and turns to head into the living room again, but I don't move until he's out of sight. Had I just imagined it or is there something wrong with Kokoda? Sighing, I rake a hand through my hair and follow after him. There's no way, after a single day of training with Genkai, that my spiritual awareness is any better than before, so maybe I did just imagine it. However, it's Kurama's little brother, so I don't want to take any chances. I'll have to keep my eye on him when I can, just to be safe.

I'm met with a tight embrace as I step into the living room, Shiori Minamino squeezing the life out of me. "Oh, Asaki, it's so good to see you," she says, stepping back and giving me a warm smile.

"You too," I reply, feeling a little embarrassed. Mr. Hatanaka and Kokoda are watching, and I've never been very good at PDA, so I duck my head.

"Kokoda and Kazuya cleared out the kitchen so we can practice," Shiori says, smiling warmly, completely ignoring my apparent embarrassment, much to my relief.

"Awesome," I reply. "Have you picked out a song?"

"We have," she says, walking over to Mr. Hatanaka. They hold hands, and I swear the two of them are glowing from the sheer amount of affection they share.

"Okay. Let's go to the kitchen, and you can play it for me." When we step into the kitchen, I find I dislike the emptiness. With all the furniture pushed off to one side or moved to another room, it doesn't look like that same space I've grown to love so much. Still, it's much more practical for dancing, I guess.

The song Shiori and Kazuya have picked is a waltz, of all things, and not one I'm familiar with. Even so, basic waltz steps aren't all that difficult, so I start by demonstrating the woman's side of things. Shiori mimics me, and I guide and correct her, letting the music play around us. It's actually a really sweet song, and I wonder, once Shiori and Kazuya get comfortable dancing it, if they wouldn't want to add some flourishes to the basic step. _One thing at a time._

Shiori and I do a round together, and I tell Kazuya to watch me as I dance the man's part. As the music swells, I spin Shiori out and back in, just missing the all-too-innocent smile on her face before she speaks. "So, how long have you been in love with Shuichi?"

I stumble, releasing her as I fall on my backside, my face burning. "W-w-what?"

"Asaki, are you okay?" Kokoda asks, helping me to my feet.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I reply, trying to avoid eye contact. "Um, let's keep going."

Shiori and I start again, and I keep my voice down as I ask, "How did you know?"

"I didn't," she replies, smiling softly. "It was merely a guess, and one you confirmed."

She sounds like Kurama right now, and I silently curse myself for my transparency. If it had been someone I didn't care about, I could have played it off, but I have a weakness for my female friends, apparently. Yusuke or Kuwabara ragging me about a crush on Kurama? Easy to deflect. Shiori, Botan, Shizuru, or Keiko? I'm useless.

"Why do you look so unhappy about it?" she asks me as we dance. Her steps are clumsy, but I have a feeling she'll keep practicing, even when I'm not around. I'm just here for basics.

"Feelings I've had for others never quite go in my favor," I reply, shaking my head

"Besides, it's all on my end." Even as I say those words, I wonder how true they are. Kurama's put up with a lot of crap from me. Would he still be around if he didn't like me at least a little? Then again, he's never denied it when I made comment as to how close friends we are.

"I wonder about that," she says, smiling impishly. "You're a very good girl, Asaki. I certainly wouldn't mind my Shuichi dating someone like you."

I shrug off her words, saying, "Well, it's good to know that I have your blessing. And even if nothing comes of my feelings, I won't complain. Just being friends with your son is enough for me. Asking for anything more would feel selfish."

"Whatever happens happens, is that right?" she asks.

"Exactly. I'm not keen in pushing my luck here. The last time I tried to tempt fate, I regretted it."

She frowns, but she doesn't push for more, merely pats me on the head, smiling softly. "For what it's worth," she says, "Shuichi would be lucky to have you."

The music stops, and I release her, resisting the urge to shrug. "That's kind of you to say," I reply before clapping my hands together. "Okay, that was excellent. Mr. Hatanaka, are you ready?"

…

I spend the train ride back to Master Genkai's doing homework and thinking. By the end of the night, Shiori and Kazuya had been dancing together, their movements clumsy but still with potential. Shiori had asked when I would be free to go try on bridesmaid dresses, and I'd told her how booked my summer schedule was. So, she'd picked the Saturday after break ended, which I knew was cutting things close. The wedding was happening in the fall, after all.

After tending to Kurama's garden until after the sun went down, I waved away Kazuya's offer to drive me to the train station, instead using the time to get some more running in, in demon form so I wouldn't miss the train. As I step off at my stop, I sigh, stretching as high as I can manage. What a long day. I know this week is going to be pretty tough too, but I'm ready for it.

At least, that's what I tell myself as I make my way to the temple, making a beeline straight for my room. When I get there, Yukina is sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle, and the room is chilly. I flare up, but with her red eyes on me, I feel kind of small. Slowly, I turn down the heat until only the barest amount remains. Sitting across from her, I stare back, focusing on keeping myself grounded.

"A feather," she says, her voice soft yet serious.

"A feather?" I ask, my own voice shaky. I can feel fear trickling in on the edges of my consciousness, like branches from a gnarled tree, reaching toward me, grasping at me.

"Think about a feather." She raises a finger in the air, drawing a rough feather shape. "Focus on it, and focus on your breathing. Let your breathing keep the feather aloft."

I frown, the braches reaching further and further around me, but I nod. _A feather. A feather._ Closing my eyes, I picture one falling in front of me. _Keep it aloft?_ Breathe in…. Breathe out. The branches start to snag at my brain, and I feel my heart beat faster, faster. The feather starts to fall, and I take a slow, deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out, slowly, very slowly, as the feather floats up high. It starts its descent as I ball my hands into fists, the nails biting into my palms. _Breathe, dammit._ In. And Out. In. And Out.

The feather stays in my mind's eye, even as my pulse begins to slow, my death grip loosening. Breathe in and then breathe out. I don't know how long I'm at this when a finger taps my knee. I open my eyes to see Yukina smiling softly at me.

"Did it help?" she asks.

I blink in surprise, and the image of the feather disappears. Somewhere along the way, so too had those branches that had sought to pull me into my own head. I feel…if not easy, at least not frightened. The cold is uncomfortable, but I haven't lost myself. Somehow…I'm still here.

"It did," I reply, noting how surprised I sound.

"When I was held prisoner by Tarukane," she says, her hands clasping together tightly, "there were many times I thought I would lose myself. To my fears. To my own mind. However, when one of my bird friends shed a feather one day, I thought about it. I thought about what it would take to keep it from touching the ground. So, I learned to breathe when the waking nightmares around me grew the strongest."

"That's amazing," I reply, shaking my head. "I wish I had half the mental fortitude you do."

She's still smiling, but it's turned sour. "Whatever mental strength I have is born from decades of hatred and anger."

"That so?" I ask, pulling my knees to my chest. As the cold starts to seep into my bones again, I picture that feather and focus on my breathing.

"The koorime are horrible demons," she says, narrowing her eyes. "They suppress all their feelings until nothing is left but ice where hearts should be. I refused to let that be my fate, which was part of why I left in the first place. The other part…was to find my brother." She laughs darkly, adding, "Although, I guess he doesn't want to find me."

An image of Hiei flashes in my mind, and I let out a long breath. "What makes you say that?"

"Because if he did, don't you think he would say something to me?" The look she gives me now is razor-sharp, and it takes everything in me not to flinch. _Does she know?_

"I'm not sure," I reply. "I don't exactly have any siblings." The next words I say are chosen very carefully, and I hope Yukina can't tell. "I only know textbook things about koorime," I say, keeping my tone slow and even, "but I know that typically only women are born to them. It seems possible to me that your brother probably knows his origins and might just be angry about them. It may have nothing to do with you specifically and koorime in general. Or maybe…he doesn't want to find you because he's worried he'll taint you for similar reasons."

My words sound weak, even to my own ears, but Yukina sighs. "I'm already too tainted. Nothing he could add would make things any worse."

I nod, saying, "While I don't agree that you're too tainted, I do think if he's found you, he should let you know."

"It's all right," she replies, now pulling her own knees to her chest. "I know, and so does he. That's what counts."

 _So, she does know._ I nod, saying, "I think, in his own way, he's trying to do right by you."

"I agree," she says. "Even if his idea of right is a bit wrong." We both smile at that, letting a comfortable silence settle between us for a few moments. After a little while, as I'm focusing on feathers and breathing, she says, "Why are you so afraid of the cold?"

I blink at her, surprised, although I guess I shouldn't have been. It's only natural she'd be curious, and I feel I owe her something for helping me out with this. Sighing, I roll my shoulders, resting my head on the tops of my knees, pulling them even closer. "My father…is an ice demon."

"And yet, you're one of fire," she says, frowning.

"And my mother is human," I add, smiling wryly. "I've never understood it myself. Still, I am the way I am, and there's no changing it." Stretching my legs out in front of me, I pull my long braid over my shoulder, fiddling with the end. Whatever exhaustion I'd been feeling when I stepped off the train has melted away thanks to the omnipresent cold. "My father was very strict with me as a child. Whenever he thought I was misbehaving, he locked me in an ice vault until he decided I should be released. At first, I would try to fire up to stave off the cold. He always knew though, and if I did so, he would keep me in longer, make it even colder."

"That's terrible," Yukina says, shaking her head vehemently.

"I used to hate him for it," I reply. "However, I think even now I'd take the ice over having to see my ex-fiancé again."

"So, you don't hate your father anymore?" she asks. "Even though he's left you with all these scars?"

"Are they scars?" I rebut, smiling. "Scars don't heal, and yet here I am, sitting in a cold room, still entirely me."

She doesn't say anything, just mulls over my words for a long moment before saying, "I wonder…if I will ever have the courage to try and heal from the pain my own upbringing has wrought upon me."

"You're still here," I say, reaching out and taking her hand. Her fingers are so cold, her hand soft and smooth in my own rough palm. "As long as that's true, there's time."

She looks at our joined hands for a long moment before squeezing tightly. "You might be right, Asaki."

"You're being such a help to me," I tell her, letting her hand go. "If you ever need me, I'm here for you. I promise."

She gives me a genuine smile this time, saying, "I know that. From the very beginning, I've known." She pulls the cold back in, and my room returns to its normal temperature. I let out a sigh of relief, and she laughs lightly. "You did really well this time."

"You went easy on me," I tease, getting to my feet. I help her up as well, saying, "Thanks for that feather trick. It really helps."

"I'm glad. I'll see you again tomorrow night," she says, waving goodbye as she leaves.

"Thanks again, Yukina. For everything."

"You too. Good night."

"Good night." Once she's gone, I collapse into bed, pulling up the covers and making my body warm, but not so warm I'll scorch the sheets. Any lingering traces of cold left with Yukina, but I can't shake the feeling there's frost in the corners, both of the room and my own mind.

…

Mornings are dedicated to human training. Genkai has me condense what took the better part of a day on Saturday into the time between waking and lunch. After I eat, I meditate for an hour on the difference between being human and being a demon, once again with no results. Once that's done, I train in demon form, which is easily the worst part of the day.

I'd thought Yusuke might have been exaggerating with his horror stories of training here, but after the first week straight, I realize every word he'd said had been true. From balancing, one-handed on spikes to being trapped in a pit with poisonous snakes, the training methods got more and more bizarre and strenuous. Chu, Rinku, Suzuki, and Shishi spent a lot of time complaining, but never where Genkai could hear. Jin seemed to think it was fun, and Touya never complained about anything.

The nights, after dinner, were spent with Yukina. A lot of the time, we just talked, about anything and everything in the cold of my room. She asked me how things were going with Kurama: they weren't, we're still just friends. I asked about her and Kuwabara: whatever did I mean? He didn't mean all those things he was always telling her, did he? Yes, yes he did. Oh. Oh dear.

Whenever things got too difficult to bear, we stopped talking, and I focused on that feather, remembering to breathe. Yukina never pressured me to go any further, never asked about turning up the cold, for which I was grateful. For that matter, Genkai never questioned me either, though I was sure she knew what we were doing. Yukina's energy signature was unmistakable, and anyone who walked past my room at this time would have felt the cold seeping out. Everyone understood that when I was ready, I would make the call on my own. For now, this was all I could manage.

Saturday was spent sparring, from dawn to the early afternoon. After that, we were given time to relax and let our aching muscles take a break. I went back to my room to sleep, despite the various protests raised by the guys. Apparently, they'd been pretty used to the training, so they weren't quite as dead as me. However, I knew I would have to be functional tomorrow, so I slept until dinner, when Yukina came to wake me.

We ate enough food to choke a dragon, and before I could slip off to my room afterward, Chu caught me off guard, asking where I wanted to go tomorrow for dinner. I had managed to forget, yet again, about the date.

"Oh, um, anywhere is fine with me," I reply, shrugging.

"Now, now, sheila," he says. "We've got to do this proper. There's really nowhere you've got a hankering for?"

"Not really," I say. "I defer to your judgment."

"If you say so."

"I do," I tell him, smiling.

"Bonza!" he cries, making me laugh. "Where can I pick you up from? You've got a mess of errands to run tomorrow, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah. Hmm." I tell him the name of a station near Kurama's house, not really wanting to tell him where Kurama lives. While I'm pretty sure he's trustworthy, it's not my call to make.

With that, we part ways, and I meet Yukina in my room, this time not for any cold training but for help figuring out what to do about this date.

"Do I dress up?" I ask her. "I mean, it's not like I want another date out of this, and it's just Chu."

"You should, if only a little," she tells me. "When was the last time you went out like this?"

The last time I went on an actual date? In my mind flash the numerous times Kurama and I have eaten out together, but those weren't dates. We were just friends, getting food. This is an actual date, with intent and everything. "It's…been a while."

"Then why not do it right?" She smiles, and it's contagious. I can't help but grin back as we go through the clothes I've brought, trying to figure out what would be appropriate but not send the wrong message. When this is over, Chu and I will still be friends, after all.

In the end, we decide that nothing can be decided with me just describing clothing to her, so she'll come with me to my place tomorrow to help me pick. I invite her to come get lunch with me, Kuwabara, and the others, and I don't miss the slight blush on her face when I say this. _Interesting._ Apparently, our conversation earlier this week had made her think about Kuwabara. I can't say that doesn't make me happy to think about.

Heads swirling with ideas, we say good night once more, preparing for what I'm sure is going to be a most interesting tomorrow.

* * *

A/N: Wow, but this chapter practically wrote itself. This and the next one are the most fun I've had writing this story in a long time. I only hope it continues to be this much of a blast. Seeing Asaki trying to better herself makes me happy in so many ways.

That feather thing? No idea if it actually works. I saw it in this game called Celeste (highly recommend), and the idea was just so cool. I want to try it for myself the next time my anxiety kicks me in the butt.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **firemadein789, bluerose921, DarkMagician19, Lestatsgirl15, Sammie** , and one guest for the reviews! Not going to lie, when it gets tough to write, I go back and read through reviews because they always make me feel so much better!


	59. Like a Lily

Sunday morning, after I've run my laps and done some of my usual human training, finds Yukina and me, now in my demon form, combing through clothing in my apartment. She's never been here before, so I give her a quick tour, mentioning that Hiei had stayed with me for a little while when she questions why the place still has traces of his energy in the cracks and crevices.

After deciding on a lavender sundress I can't recall ever having worn, let alone purchased, I tell Yukina we should do something about what she's wearing too. As a demon walking around in Living World, the last thing she wants is to draw attention to herself. It's one thing to ride a train in a kimono, but going out to a casual place in one, especially in the middle of summer, would certainly garner some too-curious looks.

Yukina isn't crazy about the idea at first, but once we get to the mall and step into a clothing shop, even I'm surprised at how excited she is to look at clothing. She gathers up a few armfuls, stepping into a changing room as I stand outside. While I'm waiting, a hand falls on my shoulder, making me jump. I spin around to find myself looking up at a laughing Shizuru Kuwabara.

"You scared the crap out of me," I gasp, shaking my head as she keeps laughing.

"Easy there, kiddo," she replies as she waves a hand at someone behind her. Keiko peeks her head out from some clothes, a look of surprise on her face as she walks over. "For someone who's fought actual monsters, you scare easily."

"I'm not used to people just grabbing me out of nowhere," I reply, narrowing my eyes.

Before Shizuru can offer up something sassy in return, Keiko says, "Hey, Asaki. What are you doing here?"

"Shopping with Yukina," I say to her. "We're going to go hang out with Kuwabara and some of the guys from the Chapter Black thing later. You want to come?"

"Ew, and hang out with a bunch of dorks?" Shizuru asks. "Pass. It's hard enough getting rid of Kazuma over the summer."

Keiko and I smile at that as she says, "I'm just getting lunch with Shizuru and then I have to head back to the shop."

"I wish we didn't already have plans," I grumble as Yukina steps out of the changing room.

"Asaki, what do you-" She trails off when she sees the others, smiling softly. "Hello, Keiko. Hello, Shizuru."

"Hey, Yukina!" Keiko says. "That looks cute on you."

"Agreed," Shizuru adds. "My little brother won't know what to do with himself."

Yukina blushes as she raises her arms, turning to look in the mirror. She's wearing a pale pink dress with a white jacket over it that doesn't close in the middle. I have to agree with Shizuru here. If Kuwabara saw her in this, he would probably lose the ability to form coherent sentences. I wonder what it would be like to have that effect on someone. I know I could never do that to Kurama.

"Listen to this girl and her lovesick sighs," Shizuru says, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I grumble.

"Lonely yet?" she asks me as Yukina goes to change back into her kimono so she can buy the dress and a few other things.

"I'm so busy I don't have much time to think about it," I reply, shrugging. Which is mostly true. Usually, thankfully, Kurama doesn't cross my mind until I'm about to fall asleep. Then, I start to worry about what he's up to and if he's okay. It never lasts long though, as I'm always so exhausted I pass out near immediately.

"Lucky you," Keiko says, sighing.

"You could always come to Genkai's with me," I tease. "She'll make you regret your choices so thoroughly you'll forget about Yusuke completely."

"Tempting," she says as Yukina steps out of the changing room. We head over to the register where I coerce Yukina into letting me buy the clothes for her as a thank you for her kindness lately. We part ways with hugs and well wishes, promising we'll actually get lunch next weekend. Then, after Yukina changes back into her dress, we head over to the diner where the guys are already waiting.

When Kuwabara sees Yukina, he practically jumps out of his seat, pulling up a chair for her next to him. I bump Mitarai down a seat, so that Yukina's sitting between Kuwabara and I. The hellos and introductions go around the table, as not everyone has met Yukina, with Kuwabara tripping over her all the while.

"W-what are you doing here today, my beautiful Yukina?" Kuwabara asks.

"I accompanied Asaki into town to help her with something," Yukina says, that innocent smile of hers making Kuwabara actually swoon, for goodness' sake. "She invited me to come along, and I accepted the invitation."

"W-w-well, uh, let me buy you lunch!" he stammers, and I have to suppress a laugh. He's forming sentences all right, but as to their coherency….

That's when I catch Kaito making a face at me. "What's got you looking sourer than usual?" I ask him.

"I wasn't aware you could actually look like a girl sometimes." He pushes his glasses up on his nose, and I narrow my eyes.

"I wear a skirt at school every day, you jerk," I reply.

"Yes, but every other time I've seen you, you've been dressed like a man."

"And by that you mean…?"

"Not wearing a dress?" Yana offers, earning a dirty look from me that makes him blanch.

"Surprise, I'm a girl," I reply. "And wearing pants doesn't make me any less of one."

"I think you look nice," Mitarai offers, and I give him a smile.

"Thank you. Besides, it's not like I would ever dress up for you nimrods." I direct this last bit at Kaito and Yana who look entirely unfazed.

"Then why, pray tell, are you currently?" Kaito asks.

"None of your business."

"Please," Yukina says to Kaito, and I watch, amazed, as a slight blush spreads across his face. "Don't bully Asaki. I helped her pick out that dress."

"N-no," Kaito says. "It's not that I'm bullying her…I just…." He swallows, looking away, and I stare at Yukina who shoots me, of all things, a wink. Clearly, I've been misjudging her this entire time. She's more world-savvy than I gave her any credit for.

We order lunch, apparently Yukina's first okonomiyaki, which gets Kuwabara misty-eyed, and continue to mercilessly razz each other until Kaito and I just devolve into talking literature and everyone else ignores us. I can't blame them. Discussing the merits of Machiavelli's _The Prince_ would bore most people. As it stands, Kaito and I have both managed to think poorly of and to praise Machiavelli for entirely different reasons.

"He was a coward," Kaito says.

"A brilliant one, until he got in trouble for it," I reply.

"His methods are cruel."

"This coming from the guy who talked about damaging souls like it was a sport."

"You can't tell me you find his 'eye for an eye' logic particularly fair."

"Not at all," I tell him. "If someone takes an eye from me, I'm going for their life." He raises an eyebrow, and I shrug. "I've spent centuries playing the nice guy. I'm not doing that anymore."

"Maybe it's a demon thing," he says, sighing.

"Blame it on the species," I reply, "but I've known many a human who thought the same way or worse. Where I would stop at the life of someone who wronged me, I know those who would take it out on the families too."

He grimaced, saying, "I suppose you are correct. That resonates with much of the reasoning behind Sensui's plan."

"I'll never understand why letting demons destroy Living World was a better idea than just leaving it to the humans. With the kind of power he had, the miasma in Demon World probably wouldn't have bothered him. He could have just moved."

"It wasn't about which idea was better," Mitarai chimes in, drawing Kaito's and my gazes. "It was about teaching a lesson."

"Right," I sigh, tugging on my braid. "Which I also get, to some extent. There were times I wanted to do the same kind of thing to people I thought I had the right to punish because they'd wronged me. I've since learned life doesn't work that way."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"What gives me the right to mete out my own personal brand of judgment?" I query. "Seriously, how self-righteous was I to think that was a good idea?"

"You say that like you're any less so now," Kaito quips, and I flick a fried noodle at him. We continue our conversation on the merits of scummy 15th century politicians, but I can tell Mitarai is listening. I wonder if he's following or if he's just thinking. I know the Chapter Black incident was really hard on him, but I hope he can recover and keep going with his life from the new perspective he's gained on it.

When it's time for me to go to Kurama's, I offer to take Yukina back to the train station. Kuwabara looks heartbroken, but I don't really want to leave her alone here with all these guys. She gives me a grateful smile, and I wonder if maybe hanging out with this many people isn't tiring for her. She's been alone with just Genkai for quite some time.

We part ways, and I take her to the station, waiting for her to get on the train before I change to human form and head over to Kurama's. His mother is there, this time with only Kazuya. We review dance steps, and then I head into the garden, careful not to get any dirt on my dress while I water and weed. At some point, Shiori comes out to lend a hand, despite my protests that she needn't trouble herself.

"So, you look nice today," she says, after a few minutes of work.

"Thanks," I reply, suddenly wary. I should have known she had ulterior motives for coming to help me. What is it with everyone and being so affronted by my wearing a dress? There was a time when dresses and formal kimono were the only things I ever wore. I think my friends would have heart attacks if they'd seen me back then.

"What's the occasion?"

"Nothing in particular," I lie. She's not buying it.

"You always dress so casually," she replies. "I can't believe you would dress up for no reason. Even if you just wanted to look nice today, that's a reason, isn't it?"

She's right, but…. Do I really want to talk about this with the mother of the person I love? "It's…." I sigh, digging a hand into the base of my braid. "A friend of mine helped me out of a tight spot some months back. In order to pay him back for that, he asked for a date."

"A date?" Clearly, this is not what she's expecting, as she drops the weed she'd been trying to yank from its particularly tough grip on the soil.

"Mm-hm," I reply. "I'm…nervous? He's just a friend, and we're just going out this once, but I haven't been on a date in a long time."

She brushes the dirt from the gloves she's wearing, sliding them off her hands before coming over to me and putting a hand on my shoulder. "Oh, honey. It'll be all right. I'm sure you'll have a good time. And, if he doesn't treat you right, just let me know, and I'll give him a stern lecture on how to properly spend time with young ladies."

I smile, wondering how Chu would react to a human woman telling him off like that. Then again, it's entirely possible he's used to it if he's been flirting with humans as much as he does with demons. "Thank you, Ms. Minamino."

"Of course," she replies. "Now, when is your date?"

"I'm meeting him at the train station at six," I tell her.

"Well, then, let's finish up here so you have time to clean up before you go."

The work seems to zip by with two people going at it, and before I know it, I'm inside and subject to Shiori's motherly touch. She brushes my hair, finding a ribbon that's the exact same shade as my dress, somehow, to tie my hair up with. I don't have the heart to tell her that a lot of this is going to waste, since I'll be going out in my demon form. Not to mention, saying "demon" around a normal human might get me a nice lecture of my own from one very irate fox demon.

When it's time to go, she wishes me luck, and I head off, waiting until I know I'm out of sight before I remove the ribbon from my hair and change to demon form. Tying off the bottom of my braid with the ribbon now, I take a deep breath, pushing forward. _It's just Chu, Asaki. No big deal. We're probably going to a dive bar or something_. I'm not sure that makes me feel any better, but it certainly does get me moving.

Chu is waiting at the station by the time I get there, and much to my surprise, not only is he wearing a normal, not fur-collared shirt, but he's also holding a bouquet of my favorite flower: orienpet lilies. They aren't exactly a common buy, and so I wonder where he got them from. There's no way he knows how much I love them.

"Hey, Chu," I say as I approach, smiling to hide how awkward I'm feeling right now.

"Hiya, sheila," he says, holding out the flowers to me. "I got you some lilies. They kind of reminded me of you."

"Thank you so much," I tell him, taking them and pressing my face into the blooms. After a rousing sneeze that makes Chu laugh, I say, "So, what's the plan for the evening?"

"It's a surprise," he tells me, looking up at the station clock. "We better hurry, or we'll miss it." He gestures for me to follow him as we head off to wherever it is Chu's taking me. He's tall, and his legs are long, so it's hard to keep up without looking stupid myself. I'm lagging behind for a few minutes before Chu takes my hand, slowing his pace so we're walking together.

His hand is huge and rough and warm, all things that make me even more nervous. Somewhere between the physical contact of someone I don't know very well and the intimacy of handholding in general, my skin goes from clammy to too warm to normal pretty fast. Once my brain starts to function normally, I realize he must have noticed I was having difficulty walking with him. He'd taken my hand so he could focus on keeping pace with me. That's actually…really nice.

We stop by a food cart where I get somen and Chu gets oyakodon, both to go, and then we keep walking, no longer able to hold hands as mine are full of flowers and food. Clearly, dinner is not going to be the highlight of this date if Chu's behavior is any indication. He leads the way to a small, old amphitheater where a crowd of people are gathered. It's easy to get seats, and I discover we aren't the only people eating as we wait for…whatever show is going to happen.

Taking some seats near the top—there are only five rows worth of seats, but they're long benches—Chu starts to dig into his food. I follow suit as the streetlights flicker into existence. It's summer, so the nights are long, but the sun has started to set. It'll be dark soon.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice booms out from behind us. Heads turn to see four young men, all dressed in martial arts gear, making their way over the benches and down to the stage below. "Are you ready for a show?" the tallest of them with long black hair tied back at the nape of his neck asks.

The crow cheers, Chu along with them before he grins down at me. "These guys are a proper riot, they are. Just you wait and see."

I can't imagine, considering they work what looks like a free show on a Sunday night, they're all that great, but I'm prepared to be proven wrong. The crowd thickens, more seats around us filling as the men step on stage. None of them are particularly bulky, but they all have toned bodies and move like they're comfortable in their own skin, something I can admire, even from five rows back.

"My name is Kronos," the one who'd spoken before says. _I'm sure it is._ "Welcome to my show. To my right is Zeus. To my left are Poseidon and Hades." _That's what I thought._ The odds of these people being conveniently named after Greek gods are astronomically low. They must be stage names.

Zeus, with his light brown hair and dark eyes, gives a big wave, saying, "I'll start us off." From a pocket of his pants he produces two kunai. He starts to spin them, first around his fingers, using the holes at the end. When Kronos tosses him a third, he begins to juggle them. A fourth, a fifth, a sixth, seventh, eighth are added to the mix, and I watch, thoroughly impressed at his ability to manage them all. I wonder how many times he had to get it wrong before he perfected his technique.

Zeus starts tossing the kunai to Kronos, and the two juggle them back and forth, while Poseidon, who's clearly dyed his hair a dark, dark blue, and Hades, whose own hair is short, spikey, and bleached white, watch, looking unimpressed. After a few minutes of Zeus and Kronos showing off, Hades walks over to the latter and sweeps Kronos' legs out from under him. The man falls to the ground, spread-eagle, and the kunai follow suit, one landing at the end of each of his limbs, one on either side of his waist, and one right above his head and below his crotch.

The audience cheers and claps, me along with them. That was honestly pretty neat. Chu has finished his food at this point, so he's being raucous with everyone else. It makes me wonder what this crowd of humans would do if they knew two demons were in their midst. Probably run screaming. People are quick to judge first and ask questions never.

Hades is up on stage, and naturally, he's playing with fire. He's got two torches that he starts to juggle. When he looks over at Zeus who's smirking at him, he stops, narrowing his eyes like he really doesn't want to do the same tricks his mythological brother was doing. Instead, he runs the torches along his skin, setting his arms ablaze. He must have something protective coating him, because otherwise, he'd be in serious trouble.

Poseidon throws a bucket of water on Hades, who ends up chucking his torches at the other man. He grumbles something that looks an awful lot like "stupid water" before going to get some new torches. These are much smaller, and he lights them ablaze. After spinning them like batons through his fingers, he swallows the flame on one. It sits in his mouth for a moment before he proceeds to breathe fire, the flames reigniting his torch.

"Can you do that?" Chu asks me, and I elbow him in the ribs, which makes him laugh.

"Yes, but I don't see the point," I reply, shrugging. "Fire is dangerous, you know?"

"Oh, sure," he says. "I saw you melt the ring at the Dark Tournament. I wouldn't want my skin anywhere near that."

"Yeah?" I snap my fingers at him, and sparks fly, making him jump. He laughs again, and I find myself smiling. It's so easy to make him laugh, something I really appreciate. Hide never laughed at anything I did unless I was making a fool of myself. Kurama…Kurama's laughs feel hard-earned, but they're worth it.

Poseidon shoos Hades out of the spotlight as Kronos and Zeus set up plastic and wooden buckets full of water. There are five in total, three plastic, two wood. Taking the sword that Hades offers him, he stands before the first bucket, proceeding to cut it vertically. Water goes everywhere as the bucket neatly splits in two. The second bucket he slices horizontally. The cut is so fast and so clean that it doesn't look like he's done anything at all. Not even a drop of water spills. He kicks the top half of the bucket off, and the water it had been holding covers the floor. The third plastic bucket is lifted in the air by Hades and thrown at Poseidon. The man slices this as neatly as the other two, the halves flying past his face. Once again, the water completely misses him, instead spilling on the stage behind him.

He slices the first wooden bucket horizontally for the same effect as the plastic ones. When he gets to the last one, Hades picks it up. However, instead of tossing it at him, he slowly approaches his sword-wielding compatriot, dumping the water over his head. Poseidon stares, dumbstruck, at his mythological brother for all of two seconds before he begins to chase him with his sword raised. They play cat and mouse for about a minute, and the crowd watches, thoroughly engrossed. Looking around, I realize the spectators have more than doubled in size, people standing in the rows and along the edges to watch. There must be over a hundred people now.

The two men on stage end up slipping in the water, the sword flying to land a centimeter from Kronos' foot. He crosses his arms, pretending not to be fazed but also looking terrified at the same time. That guy is one good actor if he can pretend he's not scared but also be scared while knowing all along this was part of the show. Once again, impressed.

I wonder what kind of act Kronos will put on for us, but I'm not kept waiting long. His three "sons" all line up, and they proceed to spar. The crowd whoops and cheers, and after the first bout is over, Chu pulls me to my feet so I can make noise along with him. It's embarrassing at first, being this loud and generally obnoxious, but the fact that everyone is doing it makes it easier. Pretty soon, I'm jumping and shouting with the best of them, feeling a lot lighter than I have in a long time. It's actually pretty fun to just let it all out like this.

Kronos handily beats all of his brothers, using mixtures of aikido, judo, taekwondo, and karate, something I find pretty interesting. He looks young, maybe in his early twenties. When did he have time to learn all of this?

Once it's over, he turns to the crowd, which is absolutely going nuts. After he smiles out at us for a minute or so, the noise dies down so that we can hear him as he says, "Who's next?"

Whispers break out, everyone kind of laughing to themselves about who would be dumb enough to challenge Kronos. When Chu puts his hands on his hips, still on his feet after everyone else has taken a seat, I begin to realize that I am currently on a date with someone who is that dumb. Not that he has a chance of losing to a perfectly average human. However, he does have a chance of seriously injuring someone.

"Oi, I'll give it a go," he calls out, grinning like a madman.

"You sure about that?" Kronos asks, smirking back. "I wouldn't want to hurt anybody."

"Don't worry about me, mate. I'm always looking for a good spar."

"All right, come on down then." Kronos waves him on.

"Come on, sheila. Let's give these mates a run for their money." He extends his hand to me, and I stare up at him, dumbfounded.

"I, uh…."

"Trust me, it'll be fun."

"Chu, if you hurt them…."

"Don't worry about it," he replies. "I know old toddler prince'll have my head if I break anyone. Instead, let's just rough 'em up a bit."

"You can't beat them," I reply, taking his hand and letting him pull me to my feet. "It's their show."

"I hear you," he says as we walk to the front. Much to my chagrin, he proceeds to down an entire flask of what I can only assume is alcohol on our way up. I'd gotten to see him fight a handful of times in the week I'd been training with Genkai, and I knew that, for some reason, getting drunk made him a better fighter. It was the strangest thing, but when he was pummeling you with a big stupid grin on his face and his rosy cheeks, it was hard to argue that it definitely worked.

"Mind if the little lady gets in on this too?" Chu asks as he helps me up on stage.

"She doesn't look like much of a fighter," Kronos says, giving me an appraising look, like he's sizing me up and finding me lacking.

"Don't underestimate her, mate," Chu says, slapping my back hard. I shoot him a glare as he says, "She's a spitfire if ever you saw one."

"All right," he says, already writing me off, I can tell. "We'll go easy on her. Hades, wanna match fire with fire?"

Hades rolls his eyes, walking over to stand beside his brother. "I don't want to hit a girl."

"Don't worry," I reply, crossing my arms. "You won't." I was not game for this before, but now I seriously want to make these guys eat their preconceived notions. Hades raises an eyebrow at me, clearly thinking I'm not worth his time. _We'll see_.

The crowd is completely silent as we square off, Chu vs Kronos, and me vs Hades. I keep my eyes on the white-haired human in front of me, noting his posture, his expression, and the complete lack of spirit energy he's giving off. This will be the first time in a while that I've fought an entirely normal human, so I don't intend on doing much. I can't imagine this guy would even present a challenge if I tried to fight him normally.

Hades feints a punch at me, but I don't even flinch, which makes him frown. He does it again, this time with his hand open with the same results. Narrowing his eyes, he moves in with a hit that would have made contact if I hadn't sidestepped, but just enough that I can feel the air from his movement. His body is close to mine, and I put my hands on his shoulders, shoving him back a few steps. The expression on his face is indignant, so I give him the most innocent smile I can manage.

"All right now, Asaki," Chu says, slapping me on the back as he dodges out of Kronos' way. "Don't hurt the poor bludger."

"Mind yourself," I reply, gesturing with one hand to Kronos who is looking at us like he can't believe we're chatting right now. I give him a wink as Hades renews his assault, this time clearly trying to land a blow. I dodge shot after shot, grinning, which serves to infuriate him further. He looks like he kind of wants to take my head off. Am I a bad person for finding that amusing?

We go like this for a while, the crowd now cheering and hollering like they had been when it was just Kronos and his sons up here. I cast glances over at Chu occasionally, dismayed to find him imbibing more alcohol, but other than that, he's keeping Kronos at bay. As I'm dodging around Hades, wondering how much longer this will go on, two things happen at the same time: I slip on a bit of water that wasn't wiped up earlier, and I sneeze…really hard. The sneeze and the slip send me over the edge of the stage, and I fall, flat on my back, on the dirt below.

It isn't a particularly far drop, so it doesn't hurt much, but it still winds me, and it takes me a second or two to get my bearings. Before I have time to sit up, Chu jumps offstage, scooping me up into his arms.

"You all right?" he asks, his breath stinking of whatever booze he'd drank. Despite that, the concern on his face is actually pretty touching.

"I'm fine," I say. "You can put me down now."

"Nah, it's okay," he says, looking over at Kronos and the others, he gives them a nod, adding, "That's enough excitement for us. Thanks for obliging."

"Come back again," Kronos says, looking a little dumbstruck. "Sorry about that," he says to me.

"I-it's fine," I reply, more concerned about the fact that Chu won't put me down than anything else. "Thanks for the match."

With that, Chu carries me toward the back of the amphitheater. We've almost hit the street when I cry, "Wait, the flowers!" I'd left them in our seats when we went to go fight.

"Oh, right," he says, setting me on my feet, thankfully. "I'll go get 'em." He disappears back down into the stands, muscling his way through the crowd. I watch for a few seconds until he reemerges, flowers in hand.

"Thank you," I tell him, holding them close, careful not to crush them.

"You really like flowers, huh?" he says, his speech a little slurred. "Wouldn't have guessed."

"These are my favorites," I tell him, smiling softly down at the blooms.

"Easy there," he slurs, walking toward me. I look up, and he reaches out, touching my cheek gently with one of his massive hands. "You're likely to make a fella fall in love, looking like that."

I step back from his touch, ignoring my burning face as I say, "Ha ha, very funny."

"I mean it," he murmurs, his voice soft. "Don't think it's just the drink talking." This next part he says very loudly, which I know full-well is the fault of his "drink".

"Come on," I say, taking one of his hands. "Let's get you home before you pass out on the street somewhere." He doesn't complain, just follows my lead. "What the hell did you drink anyway?"

"Something…something pretty strong," he replies, and I look back to find him grinning at me.

"I figured." I slow my pace to match his this time, since he's staggering a bit. Thankfully, the train station isn't that far away. Yet…that also makes me kind of sad because it means the evening is going to end. The last thing I'd expected when this date started was that I'd want it to last just a little longer.

"Hey, sheila, let's stop by a bar. I'm all outta drink."

"Pass," I tell him. "Besides, alcohol and I don't mix."

"That so?" he asks.

"Mm-hm. The last time I drank, I torched some bigwig's mansion. Haven't touched the stuff since."

"Well, don't that beat all?" He laughs, and I smile a little. I'm glad what was a pretty awful experience at the time can make people happy now.

"Interestingly enough, when you raise the temperature on a demon who already runs pretty hot, and then you add a substance that releases personal inhibitions, it's surprisingly easy to lose control."

"I bet," he says, smiling lazily.

We keep walking, and he tells me stories of times he can remember drinking enough to get himself in trouble. The stories are bawdy, irreverent, and exactly the kind of thing no one would have told me before I'd run away from home. I had always been the pure, sweet, proper woman, heiress to a massive company and therefore, such things were apparently beneath me. Now, however, I can hear them all I want, get embarrassed, laugh, and ask for more.

When we reach the train station, it's pretty empty. The car we sit in only has two or three people who look absolutely exhausted. They don't pay any mind to a young woman and her inebriated companion as I struggle to get him into a seat. Even had he been sober, this would have been a challenge, as he's so large in general. Once we're finally sitting, I let my head loll back, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. What a long day. Fun, but long.

Chu and I sit in silence for a while, and just when I think I might nod off, he slumps over, his head landing on top of mine. I can hear him snore softly, and I realize that he's fallen asleep! Of all things….

I chuckle, letting him stay there, despite how heavy he is. My father would have a conniption if I brought someone like Chu home. If he disliked Kurama, as polished as he is, he would hate Chu for his rough-and-tumble appearance and manner of speaking. Of course, that changes nothing, much like tonight. Chu was very sweet and kind, minus the whole getting drunk and passing out thing, but if anything, this only makes me miss Kurama more. I wonder what going on a date with him would be like.

I hope it'll be just as amazing as tonight was, and every bit as surprising.

…

We're the last stop on the train, so it's empty. That's the only reason I could justify scooping Chu up and throwing him over my shoulder. He's so much taller than me that trying to carry him any other way wouldn't have worked out very well. As it is, he's also incredibly heavy, bulging with muscles like he is, and so I'm not looking forward to climbing all the stairs leading up to the temple.

When I make it to the foot of the dreaded steps, I look up to see someone coming down to meet me. Jin's silhouette comes into focus, a light breeze playing around me, and I'm so relieved I could have hugged him if I wasn't still carrying Chu.

"Good evenin', Asaki!" he chirps in his lilting accent. "Been carrying Chu far, have you?"

"Nah," I reply, shaking my head. "Although, if you're here to help me get him up those stairs, I won't say no to the assistance."

He grins, whipping up a stronger wind that encircles Chu and lifts him carefully in the air. "Let's see if we can't get him to bed before he causes any more trouble."

"It's all right," I tell him. "He was actually well-behaved. He didn't get drunk until the night was over."

"Color me impressed," Jin replies. "The last time he went out, drinking was the first thing he did."

"I bet," I say, smiling.

"Had a good time, then, ya did?" he asks.

"I did. It was a surprising amount of fun."

"Good to hear," he replies. "You've been looking too serious lately. It's good to see you having a bit of fun."

I look over at him, surprised, but he just keeps smiling that bright smile of his, so I know he means what he says. "Thanks, Jin, for worrying about me."

"Of course," he chirps. "What are friends for?"

 _Friends._ Jin, Chu, and Rinku, definitely. Touya still seems indifferent, Shishi doesn't like anyone, and it's hard to get a read on Suzuki. Somehow, new friends have snuck up on me once again, when I wasn't expecting it. I find myself smiling as well as we reach the top of the stairs.

"Thanks again, Jin, for your help."

"Not a problem," he says. "I'll get him to bed, and we'll see you in the morning."

"Right."

As I turn to leave, he adds, "By the way, you look fair pretty tonight, Asaki. Good night."

When I look back at him, he's gone, and Chu as well. Tugging on the base of my braid, I feel my face burning in the light of the moon. _What is with these boys? They're going to be the death of me._ Even so, I can't stop smiling as I head into the kitchen, getting a tall glass and filling it with water for the flowers.

My room is dark and empty when I arrive. As much as I appreciate all Yukina's done for me in helping me work through my ice trauma, I'm glad she isn't here. That means I can just sleep. Setting the lilies in the windowsill, I notice one of the petals has fallen to the floor already. Unlike the roses Kurama gives me, these will die in the normal span of time. It's kind of…sad, the ephemeral beauty.

After taking one last deep breath of their scent, I change into pajamas and crawl into bed, falling asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.

* * *

A/N: So, when I wrote that scene where Chu asks Asaki for a date waaaaay back at the Dark Tournament, I don't know that I ever thought we'd get here. This whole chapter just kind of appeared out of thin air after racking my brain on the kind of date Chu would take Asaki on. I've always thought he would treat a girl well on a date, so this is what happened. I know this meant a lot to Asaki, and I think it's another important step forward for her on her path to recovery from her traumas. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Thanks for coming along for the ride, and a special thanks to **bluerose921, YukinaBlueRose,** and **Sammie** for the reviews! Also, side note, don't ever feel bad if you don't have a book to write me as a review. Even just a word or two means the world to me. See you guys next chapter!


	60. It's Fine

Genkai has no sympathy for people who oversleep, as I find out the next morning. Not only does she force me to skip breakfast, but once afternoon comes, she puts me to sparring with every one of the guys. It's exhausting, and when the day is over, I vow to never sleep past 4am for the rest of the summer, I swear.

This week passes much like the first. The exercises Master Genkai set for my human side are getting easier, so she amps up the workouts, leaving me in a state of eternal suffering. I feel like I'm no closer to solving her big mystery on what the difference between demons and humans is, but my spiritual energy is getting stronger. Genkai thinks that I'll be shooting Spirit Guns pretty soon if I really want to. Wouldn't that be something to show Yusuke?

Training with Yukina is getting harder. The more tired I am, the more easily I succumb to what she's been calling "panic attacks." I never knew there was a word for them, which makes me feel a little better. Still, the fact that I can't get over this one hurdle irritates me to no end. We agree to cut it back to every other night so I can get some rest and hopefully have better luck. The goal is, by the end of next week, for me to be able to handle sub-zero temperatures at least 50% of the time without losing it.

When Sunday comes around, I wish I could just lay in bed and sleep all day. Instead, I force myself awake and through my human exercises before heading into town with Yukina. She and I have lunch plans with Shizuru and Keiko, although I told her I couldn't promise I wouldn't fall asleep at some point while eating. She'd responded that she'd keep me from using my food as a pillow, something I appreciate.

It's good to see all the girls and actually get to spend time relaxing and just talking. The guys at Genkai's had asked me to hang out with them last night, but once again I'd refused begging off from being so tired. They'd teased me, but a good night of sleep was worth it. Although, it doesn't seem to help much now as I sit, trying really hard to make my chopsticks work. The rice doesn't want to cooperate….

"Hey, isn't that…?" Shizuru's words draw my attention, and I look up to see Koenma walking toward us, using his adult body. He doesn't have his pacifier today, which makes me wonder where he could have stowed it and why.

"Ladies," he says, stopping at our table. "Can I borrow Asaki for a moment?"

"Me?" I frown, getting to my feet.

"Excuse us." Koenma gestures for me to follow him, and we step out of the restaurant, the prince leading the way to some tables outside. He takes a seat, and I sit across from him, crossing my arms.

"What's up?" I ask.

"You've been busy this summer." The words almost sound accusing, and his tone bothers me.

"Yes."

"Genkai told me you're progressing well in her training. Congratulations."

"Yes." I refuse to offer anything more until he tells me what he wants. I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything wrong, and I don't appreciate being treated like I have.

Sensing this, he sighs, saying, "Sorry. Spirit World has been breathing down my neck even more than before, and it's making me a little tense."

 _Not my problem_ , is a rude kind of thing to think, but I've never been a big fan of Koenma. "They seem to have forgiven you for the whole mess with Sensui," I reply, keeping my voice level.

"My father decided it was more important to have me back home than to punish me too severely. Apparently, he needs all the help he can get right now."

"Something going on?"

"Asaki, when was the last time you spoke to your father?"

That's not a question I'm expecting, so I answer truthfully. "Not since right after we resolved the Chapter Black thing."

"Did he say anything strange to you then?"

"He said anything to me," I reply. "And that's strange enough. Koenma, what's going on?"

"Were you aware your father owns half of Spirit World?"

"Half?" I sputter, eyes wide. When he'd told me about his plans not that long ago, he'd been just shy of half. This is big news, if it's accurate. "What do you mean, he 'owns' it?"

"Apparently, he's been buying out departments from under my father's feet for hundreds of years. You really had no idea this was happening?"

"Why would my father tell me anything?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Fair point. I had to ask. Father thinks it's very possible you're in on Taro's scheme, and the entire reason you got close to Yusuke and his friends was so you would have more leverage against Spirit World."

"That's a stupid idea," I reply. "Especially considering Spirit World hates Yusuke and the others."

He shrugs, saying, "Something I understand, but Father is furious, so everyone is suspect. Can you think of any reason your father is doing this?"

"Beats me," I tell him. "Has Spirit World done anything to piss him off in the last 300 or so years?"

"I have no idea," he groans, running a hand through his hair, making some of it stick up in odd ways. "Father is rampaging, trying to figure out just what Taro has his hands in and how much damage has been done. However, that's the strangest part; he's done nothing. Despite being in possession of so much of Spirit World, Taro has changed very little."

"Makes sense to me," I say, making Koenma frown. "Think about it. If he's smart about it, and clearly he is, not changing a thing is the easiest way to not get caught."

"You're right," Koenma replies, his frown deepening. "But it makes me worry. What is he planning?"

"I wouldn't be too concerned," I say. Looking back at the restaurant behind us, I wonder if Yukina and the others are wondering what's going on. I'd much rather be in there with them than out here trying to decipher my father's motives. "He never mistreats pieces of his company."

"Just members of his family." I shrug, and he adds, "How can you defend him after all the things he's done to you?"

"The things he's done like putting a roof over my head, feeding me, educating me…?" I shake my head, saying, "I've spent a long time hating him for everything. At the same time, all I've ever wanted was for him to love me. I can't help it. But what I can help is how I look at the situation. Logically, he's the only reason I'm here today, and so I owe him. Emotionally, he's an asshole who hurt me. Still, nothing he's done to me is irreparable." Working with Yukina has taught me that.

"I wish I could think that way," Koenma says. "When did you get so strong, Asaki?"

"Beats me," I reply, smiling wryly. "But I appreciate the thought. Don't worry about my father too much. He'll let you know what he's after when he's ready."

Koenma sighs, dragging his hand through his hair yet again. Now it's really messy, and I have to suppress the urge to mother him and fix it. "That's what I'm worried about. Well, I'll be going. Good luck with your training."

"Thanks." He gets up to leave, so I say, "Hey, Koenma?"

"Hm?"

"He's nothing if not honest. Just ask him. The worst you'll get is no reply."

"Noted." He waves before walking off, leaving me sitting outside the restaurant, wondering just what Taro Anno is up to and what tipped off Spirit World's bigwigs to his schemes. I have a feeling they wouldn't have found out unless he wanted them to, so just what does he have planned?

…

Another week goes by, with Master Genkai increasing everyone's training, forcing more sparring matches and upping what she expects of my human body. I've started to notice muscle tone on my human half, and it's strange to think that I really am getting stronger, and noticeably so. Still, I'm no closer to being able to use my spiritual powers in demon form, and I haven't been able to answer Genkai's question. She doesn't seem hard-pressed for an answer, either.

When Sunday comes, I wake up by falling out of bed. My everything aches, and I feel like death. How much I wish I couldn't hurt right now. Still no explanation for that. The only thing I can think of is that, maybe since I don't need it as a defense anymore with Hide out of my life, my body is returning to normal. While that's not a bad thing, it sure is inconvenient in this moment. Eventually, I force myself to my feet and get started on morning training.

I don't expect to fall asleep in the middle of doing push-ups, but when I wake up, feeling disoriented and nauseous, it's to find that it's already early afternoon. I have to hurry to the station so I can catch a train into town. Getting to my feet makes my head spin, and I dash to the nearest bathroom to upend the contents of my stomach. After flushing the toilet and rinsing out my mouth, I narrow my eyes at my reflection in the mirror. My red hair is frazzled, my eyes watery and bleary-looking.

Gods bless it, am I sick? I can't afford to be sick right now. There are so many things I need to do. Taking a deep breath, I smack my cheeks, splash water on my face, and scrub it dry. I look no better, but I feel slightly more alive. That'll have to work.

I take it slow and steady as I make my way to Kurama's house. Sleeping on the train results in me almost missing my stop, and when I swap into human form, I feel even weaker. It must be all this work wearing me out. What are the odds Shiori won't notice?

Nonexistent. The moment I walk into her house, she takes my temperature and makes me sit down, giving me some tea and soup. I make the mistake of telling her I doubt I'll be able to keep anything down, so she offers me medicine. After a decent amount of declining on my part, eventually I bite the bullet and take it, wishing I hadn't. Medicine and I have never gotten along well. My demon half burns up most things that enter my system pretty quickly, so this stuff never works.

She bundles me up on the couch and asks for my help with wedding logistics, something I could do in my sleep. By the time night falls, I've managed to finish both the tea and the soup. When Shiori gets up to go to the restroom, I slip out and do my work with Kurama's garden. She finds me out here later, scolding me and offering to help. I decline it, but after accidentally snipping a flower when I'd meant to prune some dead parts, she manages to convince me.

"It's very kind of you to do this for my son while he's away," she tells me.

"I don't mind it," I reply. "I think it's kind of fun, and it means a lot to me that he trusted me with it, you know?"

She smiles warmly, saying, "I do. This is his pride and joy. During the summer, I often can't pry him away from it. It was worse when he was a child."

It's hard to picture Kurama as a human child, but I find myself smiling at the thought. Kurama had told me stories about the way he'd treated his mother back before the accident that scarred her arms. I knew he felt endlessly awful about it, and so he strove to make up for it in any way he could. Shiori doesn't seem to hold that against him even a little. Maybe that's what being a mother is about: forgiving your children for the hard times so your bonds in the good times can be even stronger.

"I bet he was a handful," I say.

"He was. Even as a young boy, he was uncannily intelligent and very self-sufficient. He never let me do anything for him. It wasn't until I let him have his garden here that he started to let me mother him, more and more. I used to find him sleeping out here some nights. No matter how many times I brought him inside, it would happen again and again. The first time he caught a cold from it, he learned better."

I laugh at this, thinking. It's strange that the event she thought changed Kurama's view on her wasn't her own selfless deed but rather allowing Kurama a garden. While both must have been important to Kurama, only the former really had the power to move him as it did. Shiori's actions when she saved him that day must have been so instinctual that it never even occurred to her just how impactful they were. I wonder if she ever thinks about that day and the scars she's gotten from it with regret.

I doubt it.

"Too bad with all that intellect of his, he still doesn't have any sense," I tell her, smiling. "He still thinks he can do everything, manage everything on his own."

"He's learning," Shiori says. "Slowly but surely, he's learning to rely on others. I think you've been a big part of teaching him that."

"Me?" I frown, shaking my head. "He doesn't rely on me for anything."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," she replies. "You're a person he can be himself with, unfettered and uninhibited. You follow your own rhythm and don't let other people influence you. You're also very honest and say exactly what you mean. I think he admires that about you."

I can't tell if I'm blushing or if my skin is just hot from being sick. Either way, I'm both flattered and embarrassed. "I'm a little too blunt at times," I say, scratching the back of my head.

"As you've noticed, Shuichi is rarely that," she tells me, cupping one of the fully-bloomed roses from the bush she'd been working on in her palm. "He's far too old-spirited for someone so young." _If only you knew._ "There are times when I wish he would just tell me what he's thinking or feeling instead of taking it all on himself. That's why his having friends like you and Yusuke and Kazuma makes me relieved. He has all of these people who won't let him do that, who don't give him a choice about accepting help."

I grimace, saying, "Is that a good thing?"

"For Shuichi, yes, yes it is." She turns to me, her eyes clear and serious, as she says, "You are all very important to him and to me. Please, don't forget that."

I lock eyes with her for a long moment before nodding. "I won't. Thank you, Shiori."

The smile returns as easily as it left, and we finish up our work before she sends me on my way with another dose of medicine. "Take care of yourself, Asaki. Do you need me to take you to the station?"

"I'll be all right," I tell her, even though I feel like I can barely stand, let alone walk. "Have a good night. Thanks again!"

"Good night, Asaki."

After slipping out of sight, I change into demon form, feeling better but still very clearly unwell. On top of that, a light drizzle starts to fall, and it doesn't take long before I'm clammy and soaked. I let my skin heat up, not enough to steam the water, but enough to keep me from shivering.

As the train station comes into view, an unpleasant scent reaches my nose. Feeling around with my energy, I sense the last thing I want to deal with right now: a human-eating demon. I should just let it be. Really, really, I should. What I do instead is turn away from the shelter of a train ride and start to trace the energy.

The last time I killed a demon in Living World, it had been because I was in a bad mood. This time, it's because I've grown so damn attached to humans. When did that happen? I can see Yusuke and Kuwabara's stupid faces in my mind, and I sigh, even as I pick up a second spiritual energy, mingling with the human-eater. This time, it's that of a human child.

Picking up speed, I try to ignore the rain, even as it starts to fall heavier, making my nose useless. Everything smells wet and muted, leaving me nothing but my ability to sense energy to rely on. I'm focusing so hard on the demon and the child that I don't notice the territory until I bump into its owner.

"Ah, sorry," I say, looking up to find Mitarai staring at me, the rain no longer hitting me as I stand this close to him.

"Asaki?" he says, surprised. "Are you all right? You're soaked. What are you doing out here?"

"There's a demon," I reply as he raises a hand, making his territory just a little bigger so we can both fit comfortably inside without my having to stand practically on top of him. "It's got a human child with it."

His face drains of all color as he says, "What's it going to do with the child?"

"Eat it," I reply, and he swallows hard. "There are a lot of demons who eat humans as their main source of food. Normally, I wouldn't care." Tugging on my braid, I sigh. "I've gotten human soft."

"You would have just let this guy go before?" he asks, looking appalled.

"Hey, you don't get to judge me, Mr. Sensui Should Destroy Living World." I give him a wry smile to show I'm teasing, and he sighs. "Anyway, I've got to find it before…." I trail off, the world spinning. When it stops, Mitarai has caught me and is holding me upright. "S-sorry," I say, righting myself.

"N-no, it's fine," he says. "Asaki, are you sick?"

"Never felt better. Anyway, I've got to catch this guy before he eats the kid."

"I'll come with you," he declares. Somewhere between the stern look on his face and the fact that I'm exhausted, I don't even bother to argue.

"All right, but be careful. This guy doesn't feel that tough, but he's got a hostage."

"Right."

And just like that, Mitarai and I are running down the street together, his territory active to keep the rain off of us. I stop every once in a while to regain my bearings and take a few deep breaths as I feel my body getting less and less cooperative. _Just hang in there. Now is not the time for this._ It feels like I'm moving through mud, but I press forward, focusing on Mitarai at my side and the demon somewhere ahead.

We step down an alleyway that leads to a dead end. The moment we do, I rip off a piece of my shirt, holding it up and infusing it with energy to create a barrier as a barrage of demon energy bounces off it, hitting the walls on either side and causing some of the brick to crumble. Standing at the end of the path is a medium-sized demon, probably Kuwabara's height but twice his bulk. He's got the child's limp body in one massive green hand, his coal black eyes narrowed at us.

"I thought I smelled pursuers," the demon growls. "Come any closer and I'll bite the boy's head off." He raises the kid to his face, opening his mouth.

"Look," I say, holding up my hands in a stopping gesture. "Just let him go, and I'll let you live. Okay?"

"Let me live?" he laughs, loud and rough, the sound reverberating in the small space. "I'll kill you, you brat." He sends another barrage of energy that just bounces off the barrier again.

"Have it your way." I lower my voice, saying, "Mitarai, if I can disable him, can you get the child without coming too close?"

"Yeah," he says, his voice surprisingly firm. I can't imagine he's keen to fight demons after everything he's been through, and yet he's standing strong at my side.

"Don't worry," I say, giving him a smile. "I won't let anything happen to either of you."

He looks at me for a moment, eyes wide, before he nods. "Okay. I trust you."

"Good. Get ready." I take a few steps forward, the barrier moving with me.

"Freeze!" the demon shouts, opening his mouth wider. A bit of drool lands on the boy's face, and I grimace.

"What I wouldn't give to have ice powers right now," I say casually. "I could make you eat your words."

"What the hell?" he growls, apparently not finding my joke as funny as I do. Before he can say anything more, I drop the barrier, flash-stepping to his side and firing up, sending a whip of flame out and severing his arms. He screams in pain, the child falling with his arms. Before the kid hits the ground and as I step away, the boy is encircled in water and carried back to where Mitarai waits.

I brace myself, dropping into a fighting stance as I prepare for the demon to attack me. Instead, he roars in agony, launching himself at Mitarai who is still trying to maneuver the kid and get him out of harm's way.

"Shit!" I hiss, moving faster than I'd thought possible, slipping past the demon and shoving Mitarai into the dirt as the human-eater careens into me, sending me flying. I smack into the wall of a building on the other side of the street, cracking the brick and crying out in pain. "Son of a bitch," I grumble as rainwater mixes with the blood that's trickling down the back of my neck.

I charge at the other demon who has yet to recover, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him into the wall at the back of the alley. As he slides down the wall, I throw my arms wide, letting a wave of fire emanate from me, incinerating the demon where he sits, leaving nothing but ash. The rain falls steadily on me, sizzling and evaporating as it touches my skin, but it does nothing to cool the heat that's threatening to engulf my body.

Taking deep, heavy breaths, I stagger over to where Mitarai is kneeling on the ground, the little boy lying unconscious in front of him. "Are you okay, Mitarai?" I ask, crouching down so we're eye to eye.

"I'm all right," he says, looking up at me. "Asaki! You're bleeding!"

Everything hurts, which is unfortunate. All I want is to sleep. Instead, I pull out some healing energy, using just enough to stop my bleeding. "I'm fine," I reply, reaching over and pressing a finger to his shoulder. The scrapes on his face and hands disappear, and he jumps, surprised. "Come on," I say, wobbling to my feet, leaning on the crumbling wall beside me to keep me upright. "We should take him to the police."

"R-right," Mitarai says, picking the kid up and holding him in his arms. "Asaki, are you sure you're okay? You can barely stand."

"No sweat," I say, forcing a smile, even as I feel my temperature climbing. "Let's go." We walk together, the rain once again not falling on me with the help of Mitarai's territory, heading to the nearest police station. We're in the part of town near Kuwabara's house, I vaguely note as we step inside.

The bored-looking officer at the front desk seems to come to life as two teens, one covered in blood and the other carrying an unconscious child walk up to him. "What on earth?" he asks, already on his feet, his finger on a button to call for blankets, towels, and a first aid kit. I tell him to nix the last one, that it's not as bad as it looks, but he ignores me, and asks what happened again.

"We saw someone kidnapping this child," I say. "I fought him off, but he got away. We didn't know what to do, so we brought the little one here."

Which is about as much truth as I'm willing to share. The man instructs us to sit and wait as another officer comes with the things he'd requested. After looking us both over and cleaning up my blood, marveling at the fact that I'm not concussed, they ask about our parents. Apparently, they don't want to let us go without adult supervision, which is annoying.

"My parents are out of the country," I tell the man. "I'm fine, really. I just want to go home." But he isn't budging. In the end, I ask Mitarai to call Kuwabara and see if he and Shizuru can't come get me. This is enough for the officer, once I assure him they live nearby and that one of them is an adult.

After many more questions about what happened and questions about the kidnapper's description that I let Mitarai lie his way through, they let us sit and wait for Mitarai's parents and my friends. I huddle in the blanket, trying to focus on lowering my body temperature so I don't set the fabric on fire. I'm dry now, which is at least some consolation. However, there's no escaping how sick I am anymore as my vision blurs and my entire body prickles with feverish pain.

At some point, my head falls on Mitarai's shoulder, and I wince, trying to sit up. "Sorry, Mitarai," I mumble.

"It's okay," he says, his voice sounding distant to my fuzzy brain. "You can rest your head there if you need to." After a beat or two, he says, "And you can call me Kiyoshi. If you want."

I feel myself smile, as I say, "All right, Kiyoshi. Thanks again for trusting me tonight."

"No, I should be thanking you," he replies. "You trusted me to save that kid."

"Mm-hmm," I manage. "You sounded so confident. How could I not?"

He chuckles, saying, "Right. Confident. I was actually really nervous."

"Wouldn't have known if you hadn't told me," I murmur, yawning hugely. "Sorry, I'm probably way too warm for this."

"Ah, no," he says, and his voice sounds far away again. "I-it's fine. You're perfect." A beat passes, and then his voice is close by, almost panicked. "Not that you're perfect, but you're fine. I-I mean, I'm fine. It's fine. You're not too warm."

I chuckle softly, mumbling, "If you're sure."

"Yeah," he says. "I'm sure."

Closing my eyes, I can hear this roaring in my ears that I try to ignore, instead keeping all of my attention on trying to regulate my temperature. Being sick is the worst, and by the time Shizuru and Kuwabara show up, I'm thoroughly over this entire thing.

"Asaki!" Shizuru gasps, running over to me and pulling me into her arms.

"H-hey," I grumble. "Stop, I'm too hot."

"You're burning up," she says, releasing me as Kuwabara comes to her side.

"She's normally burning up," he says. "But Asaki, you look…sick."

"I'm fine," I mumble.

"She's really not," Mitarai...Kiyoshi, I guess…says. "I thought she was going to pass out on the way here."

"I'm fine!" I repeat, although it's sounding less like words and more like I'm talking into a pillow.

"Damn these stubborn demons," Shizuru mutters. "All right, kid, you're coming home with us."

"But Genkai's going to kill me," I say, pushing myself to my feet. The world spins for a second, but I manage to stay upright, putting my hands on my hips and nodding as though being able to stand is a sign I'm well enough to take on the world instead of a bare minimum.

"She'll have to get through me first," Shizuru says. "Kazuma, can you carry her."

He scratches his head, looking kind of embarrassed as he says, "Yeah, no problem."

"I'm fine!" I say, one last time as I take a step forward and would have collapsed right to the ground if Kiyoshi hadn't caught me.

"Asaki, just let them take care of you," he pleads, looking at me with those clear blue eyes of his. They remind me of rain and peaceful lakes.

"Fine," I grumble, and Kuwabara wastes no time in scooping me up into his arms.

"You really are burning up!" he gasps.

"You gonna be okay?" Shizuru asks Kiyoshi.

"Yeah, my parents should be here soon," he replies. "Don't worry about me. Get Asaki to a bed, though. I think she really needs sleep."

"Traitor," I grumble, covering my face as I sneeze. The fire that comes out doesn't escape my hands, but the heat does, making Kuwabara wince.

"We should go before she burns the place down," he hisses. "Wait, sis, what if she burns the house down?"

"I haven't burned a house down in a century," I grouse.

"See, Kazuma? It'll be fine." Shizuru smiles a lazy smile before saying, "Thanks for calling us, kid. We'll look after her from here."

"Of course." Kiyoshi bows a little, which seems a bit formal to me, but what do I know? I'm seeing colors that don't exist and trying not to sneeze fire.

"See ya, Mitarai," Kuwabara says.

"Bye, Kuwabara. Feel better, Asaki."

"G'night, Kiyoshi," I mumble as the Kuwabaras and I head out into the street. It's not a long walk to Kuwabara's house, and when we get there, Shizuru draws a cold bath for me. I tell her how to make some wards that she can stick on the place just in case I get too hot before getting in the tub. After I set the water boiling twice, I give up, stumbling to the couch Shizuru has made up as a bed for me. Vaguely inspecting the wards to make sure they'll work just fine, I collapse onto the couch, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

A/N:I wanted to address some things that had been asked of me or complaints raised, so this chapter got some of that. I figure, with Asaki pushing herself so hard, there's no way she wouldn't get sick. That's just Asaki Luck 101. The talk she had with Shiori is pivotal, at least in my mind, to Asaki learning to trust herself and her position at Kurama's side more. I promise, guys, we're building to the moment everyone's been asking for. I just need my main two to be as ready as the rest of you are.

Anyway, that's my rambling for this time done and over! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **MasqueradeStar11, Katsip12, Sammie, Silverwing013, bluerose921,** and **Lestatsgirl15** for the reviews! Also, for anyone who wants to know, I too miss Kurama. x.x


	61. Break the Cycle

Three days. It takes me three days before I recover well enough to head back to Genkai's. According to Shizuru, Genaki wasn't going to kill me, but she expected me at her temple as soon as I could manage. She'd said I had no business trying to work myself to death, that I was of no use to anyone if I could barely stand. That was relieving, but it didn't stop me from wanting to be working again.

Not that I had a lot of periods of lucidity to speak of. Mostly, I tossed and turned in my sleep, only waking up in short bursts. When I finally felt better, I took a long, cold shower, scrubbing myself clean of sweat and heat. After giving my human body the same treatment, I felt almost 100% again. Wednesday night, after Shizuru made me eat dinner, Kuwabara walked me to the train station, and I was finally on my way back to Master Genkai's.

Despite what Shizuru told me, I'm still anticipating a scolding as I enter the temple. What I get instead is nothing. There's not a soul in sight, which is fine with me. I change into a tank top and shorts in my room before heading into the room I've been using for human training. Changing into human form, I start to run through exercises, making sure to take breaks when I start feeling a little unwell again. Thankfully, three days of idleness isn't enough to ruin three weeks of training.

"You never give up, do you?"

"Master!" At some point, Genkai had slipped into the room, completely unnoticed, while I meditated.

"Don't bother," she says when I start to get to my feet. Instead, she walks over and sits in front of me, looking me over. "Shizuru made it sound like you were in bad shape."

I shrug, stretching out my legs in front of me. "I'm not sure what it was, but I was dead to the world for the past three days."

"Exhaustion, I'm sure," she replies coolly. "You need to take better care of yourself. There's nothing wrong with wanting to get stronger, but you're not like these meatheads." She gestures vaguely behind her as though all the demons under her care were back there somewhere. "They live to fight, every single day. It's all they do right now. You've got other people depending on you and a life you plan to return to once summer is out. I don't advocate slacking, but I do advocate self-care. Learn to tell the difference between what your body doesn't want to do and what it can't do."

I nod, saying, "I understand. I promise it won't happen again. I'll keep better track of myself."

"Good," she replies. "Now, let's see what kind of control you have over your spiritual energy."

"Yes, Master." And with that, my training gets just a little bit harder.

…

The guys have fun at Kiyoshi's expense when I call him by his first name over lunch next weekend. I worried they would, but after I told them they were just jealous that we were on a first name basis, they clammed up for a few seconds. They all then proceed to tell me I can call them by first name, except for Kaito and Kuwabara. That would just be too weird.

"Sorry about that, Kiyoshi," I whisper once attention is off us again.

"It's all right," he replies, his face still a little red. "Are you feeling better?"

"Absolutely!" I say, grinning. "I got a lot of crap from the other demons training with me, but Genkai put them to work until they were too tired to complain."

He smiles softly, and I wonder where he was hiding all these expressions. It seems like, before he met all of us, he didn't have much occasion to use them. It's a pity because he's a really nice guy.

"What kind of work does Genkai have you doing?" Kaito asks, pushing his glasses up his nose as he turns to look at me.

"The usual," I say. "Walking barefoot on hot coals, balancing with one finger on a spike, surviving in a pit of venomous snakes. Sometimes we just stand around and let the others pummel us to a pulp to practice endurance."

"That sounds…awful," Kiyoshi says, his eyes wide with concern.

"It's not all bad," I reply, shrugging.

"You're crazy," Asato says, shaking his head.

"Little bit," I say, smiling hugely.

Most of the rest of lunch is spent debating both my sanity and Genkai's, and when I leave to go to Kurama's, it's with the remains of a laugh still on my face. Sliding into my human body, I take my time, enjoying the summer sun down these familiar streets.

"Mistress Asami?"

I freeze cold at the sound of my mother's name, turning to see a man dressed in hakama, his head completely bald looking at me with wide eyes. "No, sorry," I mumble, still surprised.

"My apologies," he says, bowing. "You just look…." He trails off, bowing again. "Once again, I am sorry."

"Um, wait," I say as he turns to leave. "Asami…Asami was my mother's name."

He presses a hand over his chest, saying, "Asaki Anno?"

"Yes," I reply, frowning. "Do I know you?"

"You were very young," he answers, shaking his head. "So young. You look just like your mother."

"How did you know my mother?" I ask, eyes wide. He doesn't feel like a demon, but then again, it's possible my human senses are still working on being strong enough to detect lower-level demons.

"Apologies, Miss," he says, bowing again. "My name is Hata. I served your mother, and after her passing, your mother's family, for centuries."

Someone who knew my mother…. I rub my forehead hard with my hand, thinking. "Hata, you said?"

"That is correct," he says. "It is a pleasure to meet you properly, Miss Asaki."

"Just Asaki is fine," I reply, frowning. "Meet me properly?"

He smiles just the tiniest bit, as he says, "Technically, this is our third meeting."

"Third?"

"The first, your birth. The second, you were a young child, in Demon World. You had gotten lost, I believe, and run into my old master, Lord Raizen."

"Wait a second!" I cover my mouth with one hand, gasping. "You were the other man in the clearing that day?" I remember telling Kurama the story, mentioning that there had been one of Lord Raizen's attendants with him. What were the odds it was someone who'd known me before?

"Yes, Miss," he replies, smiling just a little more. "After your mother's death, I had returned to the service of Lord Raizen per Spirit World's insistence, but upon learning you had survived, I offered my services again to the Takeda family."

"Takeda," I say, slowly processing this. "Asami Takeda?"

"That is correct," he says, bowing once more.

"Please, you don't need to do that," I tell him, holding out my hands in a stopping gesture.

"A habit," he says. "I apologize if it offends you."

"No, it doesn't," I say, "it's just you don't serve me, and I'm no better than you, so you needn't do it."

He smiles wryly, saying, "A daughter of Mistress Asami will always be my better."

I have this sinking feeling I won't be able to argue on this point, so instead I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I know the Takeda shrine," I tell him, frowning. "I never knew it belonged to my mother's family."

Hata takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before saying, "Mistress Takeda did a great disservice when she severed ties with her own daughter. The shrine's reputation suffered for it, and the child she had who was to replace your mother didn't have nearly as much spiritual power as Mistress Asami. Takeda shrine was once a force in Living World, dedicated entirely to banishing demons. Now, we host festivals, sell charms, and permit prayers. That's all."

"Banishing demons," I say, frowning. "That's why Mother marrying Father was such a horrible offense."

"Well, he did kidnap her," Hata adds, nodding his head.

"Kidnap?!"

He chuckles at the look on my face, saying, "Perhaps I should have said 'rescue', although Mistress Takeda didn't see it that way. Your mother was miserable here until Taro Anno came along. He gave her hope and light, but when Mistress Takeda discovered their relationship, she locked your mother away. I helped Taro to free her, and they ran away together."

I grimace, saying, "That almost sounds romantic, and I hate it." It's hard to think of my father as the hero in anyone's story.

"I can't say I ever approved of Taro," Hata replies, his tone suddenly serious. "However, he treated my mistress like she was the most precious thing he'd ever seen, and therefore, I am grateful he was here when he was."

"For someone who loved Mother so much, he never talked about her. It was like he was trying to forget she existed." Which wasn't entirely fair. We did go to her grave every New Year.

"Taro loved so deeply and with his entire being. When he lost Mistress Asami, it was as though his entire world crumbled around him. In order to protect himself, he put walls around his heart and pulled away from anything that could remind him of her."

"Including me," I reply, sighing. It made sense from this man's mouth, more than it had from any other. Hata had known both of my parents, so if anyone could understand my father's perverse actions, it would be him. Still, it doesn't make it hurt any less.

"You, Miss Asaki, have always been in a very unique position. As a half demon, you must know your birth was no mistake. No one brings a child like you into the world without considering the consequences. Your parents wanted you. However, your two halves reminded Taro of two worlds he'd lost."

I frown, confused. "Both halves?"

"I can't say any more about that," he replies, shaking his head. "Your father would be best to ask in that regard. However, I think it's important for you to know he did intend to love you properly. Life just…got in the way."

I bite my lip, burying a hand in my hair, gripping it hard to stave off any tears that suddenly threaten. "Don't say that," I whisper, swallowing hard. "Don't say my life could have been different. I'm only just learning to come to terms with the way things are. I don't need this." _I don't need my feelings stretched any thinner than they already are._

Hata bows low this time, saying, "Apologies, Miss Asaki. Your father has been running his entire life. Forgive me for saying this, but I think he could use a reason to stop doing so."

 _Running his entire life?_ "Must run in the family," I reply, swiping at my eyes. "I've been doing the same." _But, I'm making the choice to face things, right?_ If that's the case, then this man and whatever else he may want to tell me I'm going to have to deal with. I can't be like him. I don't want to reach his age and still be running.

"May I show you something, Miss Asaki? It won't take more than a half hour or so."

Kurama's garden can wait, as long as I look after it today. "All right, Hata."

It occurs to me, as I follow him up the street, that I'm putting my trust in a stranger. Sure, he claims to know my father and my mother, and he sure did seem to know a lot about them, but I have no guarantee any of that is true. This knocks about in my head until we're standing outside a massive _torii_ : the entrance to Takeda shrine. Despite knowing this place existed, I've never actually been inside. I know they host festivals for all sorts of things, but I've never really had time to go to one. Visiting the shrine I did on New Year's last year was a first for me.

Hata strides past the gate, no problem, so I swallow and follow suit. Once I've crossed into the shrine, a weird feeling tickles at the edges of my mind, making me frown. Something is different….

"The Takedas have always kept an anti-demon barrier here," Hata says. "It's not impossible for demons to get in, but lesser ones will have a difficult time moving, and stronger ones will feel a bit of pressure. Only the strongest demons are untouched."

"I wonder what my demon half would feel here," I muse, looking around. The path we're on is smooth, well-worn stone, from generations of people walking it. "How old is this shrine?"

"The foundations were laid just over a thousand years ago," Hata replies.

"A thousand!" I look around at the outbuildings, surprised. "It's kept really well."

"There have been renovations, but all of the stonework is original to the shrine. So is the gate. I think the gods may have had a hand in that."

I nod absently as we wind through some trees and stop outside a thick bamboo grove. The air here is a little lighter, but I can smell…cherry blossoms? For some reason, it feels nostalgic, and I have to pause to swallow down the sudden lump in my throat. _What the heck?_ Hata stops a fair bit of the way through, turning to face me, his expression soft but serious.

"Just ahead is a small clearing. It was your mother's favorite place and the only place she could escape her duties. She brought your father here often in the few months they'd had before she ran away from home."

I look from him to the bamboo in front of us, swallowing hard once again. Why do my knees feel like jelly? Why is my heart racing? It's just a clearing. It's not as though I'm going to see her there or anything. She's gone, and so is the man my father was when he was last here. _It's just a clearing._ Taking a deep breath, I push through the bamboo stalks and survey the area before me.

It's a secluded little cove, with a small pond inside. There's a creek that gently cascades into the pool, the only thing disturbing the peaceful water as it makes its way out of the place, off into the world somewhere. There are lotus blossoms floating on the surface, reeds along its edge. The grass around it is soft underfoot, the whir of cicadas—a constant summer sound—barely audible here. That cherry blossom smell is very faint in the air, but it's still here, all around me.

Hata hasn't followed me, for which I'm grateful as I walk to the water's edge, sitting down in front of it and pulling my knees to my chest. I press my face into my knees and cry, letting out centuries of sadness for a world lost, and two parents I'll never know.

…

I don't know how long I've been here. Once I'd finally spent all my tears, I'd laid back on the grass, looking up at the sky and just trying to remember how to breathe. Nothing has changed, really. Not me, not the blue above, the grass, the bamboo, or the water. And yet, everything is different. I can't explain it even if I wanted to, but I know it's true.

The sound of swift footsteps brings me back to myself after what must have been hours, and I sit up just as someone barrels into the clearing. She turns her back to me before I can get a good look at her face, raising her hands in the air. Suddenly, a barrier surrounds the clearing, and the smell of tatami hits me, mingling with the cherry blossoms from before.

I get to my feet, brushing myself off as she turns to face me, the relief in her face changing to mirror the surprise in my own. Her hair is darker, closer to black than brown, her eyes a very light brown, but those features look an awful lot like mine. She has to be around my human age as well.

"You look like Asami," are the first words I hear her say.

Before I can reply, a man's voice shouts, "Mayumi! Where are you, dammit?"

Her eyes widen, and she dashes over to me, pressing a finger to her lips. "Shh."

I nod, and we stand there as the sound of footsteps approaches. "Mayumi, I know you're in there." The voice is close, but it doesn't come inside the clearing. "If you're not back in the house in an hour, I will force my way in." There's a beat of silence, and then the footsteps leave. Once we can't hear them anymore, the girl at my side sighs in relief.

"Brothers are such a pain," she mumbles, lowering her barrier. The tatami smell fades, and I realize I can't smell the cherry blossoms anymore either. She gives me a small smile, saying, "Hata let you in, didn't he?"

"Oh, um, yes," I say, thoroughly out of it.

"You can't be Asami. She's been dead for centuries," the girl says. "So, you must be her daughter. What was her name?" If I wasn't still brain dead from the last few hours, I might have remembered my manners and responded. Instead, she says, "Asaki!"

"Yeah," I reply. "How did you…?"

She holds up two fingers. "One, only Takedas and those they hold dear can enter this part of the grounds. Two, Hata used to tell me stories about Miss Asami. He's mentioned you before as well."

 _Why?_ I wonder. "Um, Asaki Anno. It's nice to meet you," I tell her, trying to regain my bearings here.

"You too!" she says. "My name is Mayumi Takeda, but you can just call me Mayumi. I can't believe _the_ Asaki has finally found her way here."

"I mean, I had a bit of help," I reply, scratching the back of my head. "Why do you keep talking about me like that?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she gasps, bowing. "I don't mean to be rude. It's just, Miss Asami is pretty famous in our family as the runaway. Mother used to tell me she was a disgrace to the Takeda name and that anything to do with her was vulgar and taboo."

"Uh-huh." I should probably be mad at this, but I already knew the Takedas hated us. I just didn't know their name. "So, why aren't you…uh, finding me vulgar and taboo?" I ask weakly.

"Because I've never exactly followed Takeda doctrine all that closely. Mother says I lack conviction, and that's why I'll never get stronger, spiritually." She frowns deeply, saying, "Besides, eternal banishment seems pretty strict for falling in love with a demon."

Dumbfounded, I stare at her, still trying to process what she's been saying. "Mayumi?"

"Hm?" She looks at me with her big brown eyes, and the eager expression on her face only serves to further confuse me. I've never had even a little interest in meeting the people who hurt my mother and father so deeply, so why am I not just leaving? _Because she's not what I expected._ She doesn't hate me, if she's telling the truth, which seems likely. I'm not even sure this bright-eyed, bushy-tailed girl is capable of lying at this point.

I'm not entirely sure what to ask her. For the most part, I'd just said her name like that so I could catch my breath. What ends up coming out of my mouth next surprises me. "How did you throw up a barrier like that?"

She breaks into a bright grin, saying, "It's super easy. Want me to show you?"

"Yes?"

…

The main building of Takeda Shrine is huge and very old. According to Mayumi, little has changed since the place was first built aside from the living quarters. Apparently, the house part where her family stays still looks old but has been modernized with proper insulation, actual doors, and central heating and air. This is where we head, Mayumi taking me to a big, empty room with tatami flooring and _shoji_ doors. There are deep scores in the floor and in the walls, but other than that, there's nothing notable about this place.

"This is the training room," Mayumi says, turning to face me. "For the most part, it's just me who comes in here, since I'm to take over the shrine when I get older."

"Got it," I say, nodding. That probably explains the damage here.

"So, barriers." She holds out a hand, and I can see green energy swirling there, the room suddenly smelling like newly-laid tatami. "They're pretty easy."

"All I can do is this," I tell her, reaching in my pocket and pulling out a piece of lint. Ripping my clothing in front of a stranger and as part of a demonstration, especially when I think I want to make a good impression, is not about to happen. Pushing energy into the lint, I create a barrier between us.

"Oh, good," she says, looking relieved as her energy starts to swirl around mine. "I hate the basics, so I'm glad I don't have to teach them. Putting barriers on objects is pretty useful, but having to use them can be a pain." She makes a face, and I almost smile. "Here, let me see your hand," she says, extending her hand to me, palm up. After a second of hesitation, I place my hand lightly on hers. There's a slight tingling where we touch, energy flowing between us.

"Huh." She frowns, saying, "You've got this limiter on your energy, almost like you're afraid to use it."

"Afraid?" I shake my head. "But I'm…not." A limiter…like, walls I've put around my human half so it wouldn't bother my father like it always seemed to. Like centuries of being shamed for being half of something, so I desperately struggle to keep it locked away. Limiters.

"I think I can break it, if you want," she says. "Then, I can teach you how to use your real strength."

I clasp her hand in mine, which seems to surprise her, as those brown eyes widen yet again. "Please."

"Okay." She keeps hold of my hand, reaching for my other one, and we stand there, miles of distance between us. It's only physically a matter of inches, but we both seem to see the chasm we're trying to cross. "Close your eyes," she says, her voice quiet but firm. I do as she says, and after a few seconds, the tingling between our palms creeps up my arms.

"You've got this buried pretty deep." The tingling continues to travel until it's all around me, her warm, bright energy and the smell of tatami embracing us both. We stand like that for a few minutes until I feel a jolt of pain. I bite my tongue to keep from crying out, and then suddenly, it's gone, along with Mayumi's energy. When I open my eyes, she has tears in hers.

"Holy cow," she whispers. "You've really been through a lot, haven't you?"

"How can you tell?" I ask, my voice as low as hers.

"I've never seen spiritual energy so tightly locked away. Can you feel it now?" She lets go of my hands, but they still tingle, and I realize my entire body is warm and tingling. I raise a hand, and a pale orange light filters through my fingers.

"That's…amazing," I say, looking up to find her smiling hugely at me.

"Congratulations, Asaki. Now you can start moving forward again."

A weird laugh escapes me, and I press a hand to my mouth. When I glance back at her, she's still smiling. "Yeah," I manage. "I think you're right."

…

Barriers are pretty easy. What's difficult is fitting a size or denoting a purpose. Mayumi is really good at it. She can make just about any shape, and she can make them do all sorts of things like keeping dust away, demons out, or anything in between. While I'm struggling to keep a steady barrier without an object, I ask her questions.

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Most of my life," she replies. "I turned fifteen this year, so since I was three?" She frowns as I stare, wide-eyed. "Yeah, that's about right."

"That's crazy," I gasp.

"It's probably about the only thing I can do really well," she grumbles. "That and normal shrine duties. No one wants demon exorcisms like they used to, so I don't have any practical experience there. All I can do is try to master making talismans and drawing the right sigils, hoping they'll actually work in a pinch. Mother says I'm awful at it."

"Are your parents here?" I ask her.

She shakes her head as she adjusts my hands. I've been holding a small, spherical barrier for a solid minute, the longest yet. "They're away on travel right now. Apparently, Okinawa has been having some tough demon problems. It's just me and my big brother here."

"He's the one who was calling for you earlier? Why didn't he just come into the clearing?"

"Because of the barrier I put up," she says, her grin turning impish. "These things can even keep big brothers way if you do them right."

We laugh at her words, and I lose the shape I'd been holding, which only serves to make her laugh harder. "I will get this," I grumble.

"You will," she tells me. "It's only your first day, and like I said, the basics are the hard part. You've got them down pat."

"I hope you're right," I reply as the door to the room slides open.

"Mayumi, are you…." The young man who steps inside freezes as he sees the two of us. The slightly irritated look in his dark eyes slides from surprise into rage as he processes the scene before him. "You." He points at me, and I swallow hard as Mayumi steps in front of me.

"She's my guest," Mayumi says, spreading her arms wide as though she thinks he'll attack us and she's going to defend me.

"You're her daughter, aren't you?" he growls at me, ignoring Mayumi. "Get out of this house."

"Takumi."

"Be quiet, Mayumi. I want that traitor out of my sight."

"Traitor?" she asks, crossing her arms. "Takumi, she's not a traitor. She's family."

"Asami gave up the right to call herself that when she abandoned her duties. No child of hers can claim Takeda blood."

"Why?" Mayumi cries. "Takumi, she didn't do anything wrong. And, as far as I'm concerned, neither did Asami."

"What?" he growls. "How dare—"

"No, how dare _you?_ " Mayumi snaps. "Asami left home to escape her abusive mother. Do you really think she would have been the best matriarch for this family if she were that reluctant?"

"Who cares?" Takumi replies. "She had a duty, and because of her, we almost lost the shrine."

"She had a choice, and she chose her way out," Mayumi says. "I don't blame her."

"Hata has been filling your head with stories," he growls, glaring daggers at me. I tense, balling my hands into fists. I knew it couldn't be so easy. Mayumi accepts me, but this man, her brother, I'm guessing, bears the hatred I always assumed would be here.

"I _refuse_ ," Mayumi states, shaking her head, "to continue to pursue this stupid idea. Hate only begets more hate." She takes my hand, narrowing her eyes at her brother. "As the next matriarch of this family, you have to respect my decision."

 _Hate only begets more hate?_ I could have laughed at the simplicity of her statement. She's right, though, and everyone in this room knows it. Takumi grinds his teeth at her words, and I swear he's going to keep arguing. Instead, he sighs, pressing a hand to his forehead in agitation.

"You think you can change centuries of hatred?" he asks Mayumi, the rage fading.

"We have to start somewhere," Mayumi says, her voice pleading. "I'm choosing to start with forgiveness. Not that you really need it," she adds to me, smiling softly. I give her a grateful nod, not taking my eyes from Takumi.

"Fine," he exhales, pointing a finger at me. "This doesn't mean I accept you. I'm just too tired to argue with Mayumi."

"He never wins," Mayumi replies cheekily.

"Not when you're this adamant," he says. "Asaki."

"Yes?" I ask, my reply short and prompt, as polite as I can manage. The last thing I want is to anger him any further with my presence.

"If you hurt my sister, I will do a lot worse than just throwing you out of this house. Takeda blood runs in your veins."

"I would never," I reply evenly, narrowing my eyes. _What does he mean by that?_ I wonder. Is there some sort of punishment only Takedas can inflict on each other?

"Tch." He turns and storms out, reminding me of Hiei so much that I almost laugh.

"Oh, gods," Mayumi says, slumping against me.

"H-hey!" I gasp. "Are you okay?"

"I hate fighting with my brother," she mumbles, standing upright. "It takes so much out of me."

"You didn't have to do that," I tell her. "If I shouldn't be here…."

She's shaking her head now. "You should! This is as much your home as it is mine, as a Takeda. We're kin." She frowns, thinking. "Cousins, I think. Very distant ones."

I find myself smiling, as I say, "Cousins, huh? Well, Mayumi Takeda, I'm honored to be related to someone as brave and honorable as you." I bow low, but her hands are on my shoulders, pushing me upright.

"Don't," she says, looking worried. "Don't bow to me. We're family."

"All right, all right," I reply, smiling. "Thank you, Mayumi. It means a lot to me that you'll accept me, despite my mother's past troubles here."

"Of course," she says. "Don't worry. Takumi will accept you too."

"Ha," I say, shaking my head. "I doubt that, but I'll keep it in mind."

There's a knock on the door, and it slides open to reveal Hata kneeling on the other side. "Mistress Mayumi, Miss Asaki, dinner will be ready shortly."

"Dinner!" I gasp, surprised. "What time is it?"

"Half past six," Hata replies.

"Shoot, I need to-"

"Please say you'll stay for dinner!" Mayumi pleads, grabbing my hands in hers.

"I-I…." This girl has puppy dog eyes that would make any animal jealous, and I find I can't say no. "All right. But then I really do have to leave."

"Yay!" Mayumi grins hugely, practically pulling me out of that room and down a few hallways until we arrive in what must be the dining room. A dark wooden table and four matching chairs await us, Takumi occupying one of them. He doesn't look up from the paper he's scribbling on as we enter.

"Takumi, Asaki's staying for dinner. Hata says it'll be done soon."

Takumi raises his gaze to meet mine, and I find myself pinned by his dark eyes. They're nearly black, a stark contrast to his pale skin. His hair is pitch black and cut short, giving him a very serious look.

"It's my pleasure to dine with you," I tell him, bowing slightly. Mayumi might not like it, but I'm still planning on being as polite as possible to her brother.

"Whatever," he says, setting down his pen. "Eating food with Asami's kid ought to strengthen my spiritual resolve and my dedication to this family."

How...pleasant.

"That's the spirit!" Mayumi replies, sitting kitty-corner from her brother and leaving me to sit across from him. He deliberately avoids looking at me, instead turning his attention to Mayumi.

"How's your homework coming along?" he asks her.

"Ugh, can we not?" she replies. "I've still got two weeks left."

"School will sneak up on you if you aren't prepared," Takumi says, shaking his head.

"What school do you go to?" I ask her, earning a dirty look from Takumi. She tells me a middle school in the area, and I nod. "Do you know where you want to go to high school yet?"

"I've been looking into entrance exams," she replies, frowning. "But Mom doesn't want me to go to high school. She says all I need to learn is how to take care of the shrine. I want to, though. I'll have all of my life to look after this place. High school is only here for the next three years."

"I get that," I say. "My father wanted the same for me. Said all I needed was to learn how to take over his business one day. It took a lot of convincing to get him to let me go to school."

"What's he like?" Mayumi asks as Hata brings out dinner for the three of us. She picks up her chopsticks to start on her rice, but I know she still wants an answer to her question. I have this feeling she has the wrong idea about my father, so I know I need to tread carefully with what I say next.

"He's...difficult," I tell her. "He's very smart and has killer business sense. He's fair when it comes to work and his employees."

She frowns, saying, "Is that all?"

I shrug. "He's unfriendly, honestly."

"Unfriendly," Takumi grunts. "I expected more colorful language about the bastard who nearly ruined this family."

"Losing Asami...I think it destroyed whoever he was when he knew her," I say, grimacing. "He was never really much of a father to me."

"I'm so sorry, Asaki," Mayumi says, awkwardly hugging me around the corner of the table and over our food.

"Ah, it's okay," I reply, forcing a smile. "I wouldn't have even said anything if you hadn't asked."

"He puts flowers on her grave." I look over at Takumi, eyes wide. "Asami's buried with the rest of the family, so when we go to tend to the ground there, I always see flowers there."

"Always?" I knew he went on New Year's, but _always?_

"It's annoying when he's there and I'm trying to clean up," he grumbles, taking a bite of the fish on his plate and focusing intently on his chopsticks.

"I can imagine."

The rest of dinner is spent on light chatter and innocuous remarks, with Mayumi doing most of the talking. My mind is on how much it would cost to constantly fund flowers for a grave for the past 300 plus years. I don't know what Takumi is thinking, but occasionally he writes something on his paper before going back to listening to Mayumi.

"Thanks again for everything," I tell Mayumi as I stand at the front gate of the shrine, having had my offer to help clean up after dinner declined.

"You should come see me tomorrow," she says. "We can work on your barriers some more and then maybe get some new tricks under your belt!"

"Ah, I don't know about that," I reply, frowning. I'd like to. I want to spend more time here on these paths my mother walked and with family I didn't know I had, but...I made a promise to myself that I would get stronger. Although….

"If you want to, just wait at the gates tomorrow. Hata will find you and bring you to me, okay?" She clasps her hands together in front of her before throwing her arms around me. "It's so good to finally meet you, Asaki Anno. I can't wait to get to know you better."

"You too, Mayumi Takeda." I awkwardly hug her in return before we say our farewells. When I step off of shrine property, I realize that I'd completely gotten used to the weirdness in the air, and now normal air feels off. "What a strange day."

...

Kokoda answers the door when I get to Kurama's house, and I find myself staring. This is the first time I've seen him since dancing lessons the first weekend of summer, and while I'd thought I noticed something different, I can definitely see what it is now. There's a demon _inside_ him.

"Hey, there," he says, smiling lazily at me.

"Pfft." I snort a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand, and his eyes go wide in surprise. "Sorry," I reply, "it's just, it's like you're not even trying."

"What?"

"If you're pretending to be Kokoda, you're doing a terrible job," I say, wiping my eyes. "Too funny."

"Are you making fun of me? I could kill this boy," a whining voice says, using Kokoda's mouth.

"Yeah, but you're not stupid," I reply mildly. "I mean, what kind of parasite kills its host? Besides, you're far safer in there right now than you are out here."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he leers.

The smile is still on my face as I say, "Because if you hurt Kokoda in any way and think you're getting out of this alive, you're very mistaken. If I don't roast you alive, his older brother certainly will."

"Kurama is a worthless human-lover," Kokoda says. "He couldn't hurt me, and neither can you, human."

"If you're spying on Kurama, you're doing a terrible job," I reply, shaking my head. "Seriously." Pressing a hand tightly onto Kokoda's shoulder, I say, "Just wait until Kurama finds out you're trying to hurt his family. There won't be a safe place left to hide."

And then, I walk past him, into the house.

…

Master Genkai is in the kitchen, sitting at the small table there, drinking tea, when I come in that evening. "Hot water on the stove," she tells me, gesturing with her head.

"Thanks," I say, not sure how she knew I wanted to talk to her. I pour myself a cup and let it steep as I settle in across from her.

"What did you need from me?" she asks. "I doubt you came through here just to chat."

"Oh, um, no," I say, taking a sip of tea. It's hot but bracing, something I know I'm going to need. The idea of asking Genkai to change things up for me feels so presumptuous. "I met my mother's family today." I explain to her about Hata and meeting Mayumi and Takumi, and she listens intently. When I mention the limiter, she shakes her head.

"I knew something was wrong when we started training, but it didn't occur to me you would have Spirit Cuffed yourself like that."

"Me neither," I say, shaking my head.

"Show me." I change into human form, and she offers me her hand, which I take. "I can feel the difference," she says, releasing me. "Your energy used to flow in tight spirals, never breaking rank. Now, it's loose and easy, the way it should be. Your cousin did you a great service."

"I know," I reply. "In a lot of different ways. She wants…she wants me to train with her. Or rather, she wants to train me."

"Oh?"

I nod, swallowing a gulp of tea and nearly coughing my lungs out. "Sh-she says there are lots of things she can teach me to do with my energy. Takeda things."

"And you want to spend time with your newfound family."

"W-well, yes, but…."

"She can have your mornings." I blink at Genkai, confused. "You can train with her next week, but I expect you back here after lunch. I won't have your demon side get soft just because you're training your human half. If, at the end of the week, you've made good progress, I may tweak your training regimen again. However, don't forget to train your body as you train your spirit."

"Of course!" I reply, gripping my cup tightly between my hands. "Thank you, Master."

"Don't thank me yet," she says, getting to her feet and taking her empty cup to the sink. "You sure like to make things harder on yourself."

"All the time," I say, smiling brightly as I finish my own tea.

"Good luck and stay safe. You should know the Takedas are not a family to be trifled with."

"I know, and I will." I bow to her, and she waves a hand, dismissing me. Dashing out of the kitchen, I head to my room, facing off with Yukina and the cold. Last week, I'd done pretty well, although Yukina had taken it easy on me, due to my sickness. When she finally leaves for the night, I can hardly sleep for the excitement of what tomorrow might bring.

 _I can't believe I finally met mother's family._ And tomorrow, I'll be going back to train. This is going to be so…weird. I can't wait.

* * *

 **A/N** : I hope this chapter surprised you guys as much as it surprised me. I was not planning any of this, and then these characters just appeared, but now I love them? I hope you guys do too because they're here to stay! Asaki's been spending her time learning about different things and getting stronger in so many different ways, and I think this is an important place to learn and grow. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **bluerose921, MasqueradeStar11,** **mrs-landers,** and **Sammie** for the reviews. **Sammie** , I'm sorry to hear you're in a tough place, but I hope another update brightens your day.

PS: Btw, with school starting up again next week, the updates might become a little more sporadic. I'm going to try to keep them every other week, but I can't make any promises until I see my schedule!


	62. Simple Mistakes

I'm only standing outside the gate for maybe a minute before Hata finds me. I'd gotten up hellishly early so I could run around Genkai's complex and do some other exercises, so it's around eight in the morning or so that I arrive. Part of me had worried that this was too early, but according to Hata, the family is normally up at the crack of dawn, even in the summer. Running a shrine must be tough.

"I wanted to thank you," I tell Hata as he leads the way up the path and to the main house. "For yesterday. None of that would have happened if not for you."

"Your being here is thanks enough," he replies. "If Master Takumi's behavior had prevented you from wishing to return, I would have never forgiven myself."

"Wait, you can't blame yourself for his behavior," I say, frowning.

"I played a large part in raising both Master Takumi and Mistress Mayumi. Still, despite my best efforts, I could not stop the seed of hatred from being sown in the young master's heart."

"That's not your fault. People make their own choices. Besides, it's hard to argue with centuries of tradition."

He stops walking, turning to look at me, a serious look on his face. "Thank you, Miss Asaki. Self-pity does me no service."

"You're welcome, I guess," I reply, shrugging. "Although, I didn't do much."

"Humility where it isn't necessary serves you no purpose either," he says, giving me a wry smile before he starts walking again.

When we reach the house, Mayumi is outside in the courtyard with Takumi, both wielding kendo swords. They're squaring off, both covered in sweat, circling each other. Takumi shouts, "Go!" and they move like lightning, crashing into each other, swords cracking as they make contact. They press hard into each other, but Mayumi falters first, and Takumi raps her in the shoulder, making her drop her sword.

"No way!" she cries. "I thought I had you that time."

"Your form is sloppy," he says, shaking his head. "If you spent less time daydreaming and more time practicing—"

"When am I ever going to use this?" she asks. "Seriously, isn't there some other way I can get my mind, body, and spirit focused or whatever?"

"Yeah, let me see if I can't find a frigid waterfall for you to stand under," he deadpans.

"I know a good one," I interrupt, figuring I might as well make my presence known. "It builds character."

"Pass, pass, pass, pass!" Mayumi sing-songs, shaking her head. She grins at me as Takumi shakes his head, sneering. "Good morning, Asaki! Welcome back!"

"Thank you," I reply, bowing.

"Hata, will you tend to these?" Takumi asks, taking Mayumi's wooden sword from her. "I'm going to take a shower. If either of you do anything stupid, I will make you regret it." He doesn't look at the two of us in question, but we know who he means.

"Stupid is _not_ my middle name," Mayumi says, wiping her brow. "I think I might need a shower too. Do you mind waiting, Asaki?"

"Not at all," I reply, shaking my head. "I'm only here until noon, by the way. I've got other things to do afterward."

"Aw," Mayumi whines. "Well, we'll have to make the best of it, then!" She goes to shower and Hata leads me to the training room again before he leaves with the kendo swords. When I'm finally alone, I sit and meditate while I wait. It isn't long before Mayumi returns, looking refreshed and ready to take on the day.

"All right, so barriers!" She raises her hands, pressing them together and then pulling them slowly apart in front of her face. Energy stretches between her palms, that same light green, and the room fills with the faint scent of tatami and something else I can't quite put my finger on.

I mimic what she's done, trying desperately to stretch my energy as far as she does. It breaks before I make it quite so far, and I sigh. She demonstrates again, and I take it slower, managing to reach her length but not being able to hold it. This we practice for most of the morning until I can reliably stretch my energy.

"You should practice doing that whenever you can," she says. "It's like a strengthening exercise for your spirit." Clapping her hands together twice, she brings up a huge barrier between the two of us, saying, "This one keeps humans out. Try to come through."

I walk over to the translucent wall, pressing a hand against it. My palm falls flat, resting on the barrier. I push on it a few times before going for a punch that makes me wince. "Shoot!" I cry, shaking out my hand.

"I didn't say to hurt yourself!" she says.

"It's fine," I reply, using some energy to heal myself.

"Wait, what did you just do?" Mayumi asks, eyes wide.

"Healed myself?" I say, confused. "Sorry, it's just—"

"No, no, don't be sorry! That's like, super-advanced Takeda stuff! Even Takumi can't do that. Mom said she'd teach me once it was my turn to take over the shrine since it's so difficult."

"I've been able to do that for as long as I can remember," I tell her, frowning. "It takes a lot of energy, so maybe that's why your mother wants you to wait."

"That's so cool!" she gushes, letting her barrier fall. "If you've got that kind of control, you can do just about anything."

"Relieving," I reply, smiling wryly. "Let's see about mastering barriers first."

By the time I'm on the train back to Genkai's, I've managed to successfully hold a spherical barrier between my hands for a minute. Ignoring the funny looks from passengers, I do as Mayumi had suggested, stretching my energy between my palms slowly, over and over again. By the time it gets relatively easy to do, it's my stop.

Genkai has increased the difficulty of everyone's training again, but I feel like mine is harder than everyone else's, something I'm curious but say nothing about. It's like she's testing me, and if that's the case, I won't complain. I'll show her I can take whatever she dishes out. That night, Yukina's cold defeats me, and I have to remind myself that the thinner I stretch myself, the weaker my resistance to things like that are. She offers to take it easier on me, which I refuse. We're finally up to freezing temperatures, and it feels like I'm so close to breaking this. I can't give up now.

The next morning, Mayumi and I meditate for a while before more barrier practice. It's about as productive as the morning before, which irritates me. I have to remind myself that I've always had difficulty holding these, so it shouldn't surprise me how hard this is. Even being able to do this without focusing on an object is a step up from where I've been.

On the third morning, Mayumi leaves me to go help Hata with something. As I focus on the sphere in my hands, sweat on my brow, Takumi slides open the door. "Mayumi, have you…." He trails off when he sees me, frowning as I lose control of the sphere and it dissipates.

"She's helping Hata at one of the outbuildings," I tell him, sighing as I prep myself for another try. After a few minutes of silence, I look up to see he's still standing there, watching me. When he notices I know he's here, he steps into the room.

"You make the same mistakes Mayumi used to," he says, shaking his head. "I guess she's forgotten that you have to learn the rules before you can break them." He stops before me, holding his hands in front of him, but rather than keeping them flat like Mayumi does, he curves his fingers, so he's making claws. "Start like this. It's easier to hold a ball this way."

I'm skeptical, but I do as he says, surprised to find that he's right. The barrier forms easily, and I hold it between my hands without trouble. "Huh," I mumble.

"She's been doing this for so long that it's second nature for her," Takumi says, creating a spherical barrier of his own, a darker shade of green than his sister's. The air around us smells like freshly churned dirt, and I feel like I'm in Kurama's garden again. "I don't know why she's teaching you these things," he says, placing his sphere on top of mine. It stays there, balancing, and now I have two of them to focus on instead of one. _Jerk_.

"I asked her to," I reply, gritting my teeth.

"Relax," he says. "Cup your hands and shape your sphere to match." I grimace as I slowly do as he instructs, managing to turn my barrier into a carrier for his. "Good." He nods his head before pressing a hand to the side of his head. "Come with me. I need to show you something."

 _The Takedas are not a family to be trifled with_. Genkai's words resonate in my head as I follow Takumi out into the hall. I'm wary, but looking down at his barrier resting on top of my own, I can't think too poorly of him. Maybe he doesn't like me, but if he meant me harm, would he have tried to teach me like he did?

We stop outside a room with sliding doors, like most in this house. However, unlike the others, this one looks old. The paper is yellowed and has been patched in places instead of completely replaced. Takumi takes a deep breath before letting it out, pressing his palms together before sliding the door open.

"I shouldn't even let you in here," he mutters, shaking his head. "Come on."

 _I didn't ask you to_ , is my first ingenuous thought. _Stop it. Just follow the guy._ I step inside the room and the smell of old paper and ink hits me like a ton of bricks. It smells like my father's study, and I'm both intrigued and repelled. When I was very little, he used to let me sit with him while he worked, as long as I read and kept my mouth shut. It was infrequent, but it was also one of the few things I'd enjoyed about my childhood.

"This is the record room," Takumi says, bringing me back to the present. "There are books of handwritten accounts, expense reports, biographies, and general family information here. A lot of it is too old to touch, and my father is working on making copies of everything for posterity."

"It's amazing," I say, looking around in wonder. This is some serious history here. This family goes back hundreds of years, according to Mayumi.

"It's informative as well," he replies, thumbing the spines of several books on a shelf. He pulls one out, flipping it open and frowning as he carefully moves through the pages. "Here." He clears a space on the table I hadn't even noticed, it was so covered with papers.

I walk over, looking at the page he's opened to. "Nami Takeda," I mumble, looking at the information there. It's a brief history of her life, who she was married to, and her children, one Asami and Fuyumi Takeda.

"Asami's mother," Takumi says. He flips the page, and I notice that something has been torn out. The next page, which should have belonged to my own mother instead reads "Fuyumi Takeda."

"She was removed," I realize, gripping the barriers in my hands tightly. If I hadn't been worried about them, I might have hit something.

"Fuyumi was Nami's second daughter, my ancestor, and the one who took over the shrine in your mother's place," Takumi explains. "Asami, according to Hata, had so much spiritual energy, it practically shone through her. It's why her hair was light brown and her eyes so blue. When she left, the family panicked. They knew a child like Asami was a once in a millennia kind of thing, and no one expected Nami and her daughter to recover like they did. Even though they kept us from going under, the Takedas were never the same."

He puts that book away and pulls out another one, showing me that once again, Asami Takeda had been removed from history. "Our reputation took a big hit. Nami had to tell people that Asami died in an accident, and people thought we were cursed for it. It wasn't until Fuyumi managed to banish a high-level demon that people stopped avoiding us. By then, we were so far in debt we nearly lost the shrine. An anonymous donation was the only thing that kept us afloat."

"Somebody just paid off all your debt?" I ask, sighing. If he just brought me here to make me feel bad, it's working.

"It's weird," he says, pulling out a third book to show me that my mother had been removed once more. "All the records just say 'a donation.' They don't mention who or why. I think Hata knows, but he won't tell."

"That's crazy," I reply.

He nods, putting away the most recent book. This time, he doesn't go for another, instead pressing his hand against one of the drawers. His sphere barrier quivers a little, and the smell of earth intensifies. After a second or two, there's a sound like a lock releasing, and he pulls the drawer open.

"Takeda," I say, feeling pretty shitty at this point, "I don't want—"

"This," he interrupts, carefully lifting another very old book from that drawer, "is the last one." He flips to Nami Takeda's page, and I sigh, seeing all the same information, with a rough sketch of what she looked like. It's pretty faded, but that severe expression on her face sends a chill down my spine.

When he turns the page, I nearly drop the barriers I'm holding. Instead, mine flickers a little but holds fast. It's my mother. In this old book of Takeda family records, my mother still has a place. The sketch of hers is just as faded as the last, and yet it's almost like I can feel her energy. That same cherry blossom smell flits through the air, and I look at Takumi, confused.

"It's the only one," he says. "Every other record of Asami Takeda has been removed from this room except for this. Fuyumi is the one who saved it from one of her mother's rages. When everyone else was full of hatred and anger toward Asami, Fuyumi wanted nothing more than to know the sister her mother took from her. Even after Fuyumi died, no one touched this book. It was considered bad luck to do so. Instead, we lock it away in this desk. Only someone with Takeda blood can open it."

I shift the barriers to one hand, reaching out and sliding my fingers down the weathered page. Slowly, carefully, I flip it over to see Mayumi staring up at me. It's her ancestor, Fuyumi, of course, but the two could have been twins.

"Fuyumi didn't let the family's hate fester in her heart," Takumi says. "It looks like Mayumi is taking after her."

I look up at him, eyes wide as I put both hands on the barriers again. "Thank you for showing me this, Takeda."

"Just call me Takumi," he replies, sighing. "I still don't like you, but Mayumi's right. I can't actually deny that we share blood."

"Takumi." He grunts when I say his name, and I find myself smiling, even though I want to cry. I can never forgive Nami for all the things she did to my mother, and I refuse to forgive the Takedas who tried to wipe Asami from their history, but Fuyumi, Mayumi, and Takumi…I think I can like them. "Thank you."

"There you are!" We both jump a good foot as Mayumi pokes her head in the record room. "I've been looking all over!"

"If you'd just used your energy, you wouldn't have had to," Takumi replies, his tone haughty.

"Well, if you hadn't been somewhere weird, it would have been easier," she says. "You know this place is always swimming with the energy of our ancestors. There's no way you can't smell the cherry blossoms."

"I wish I didn't," he says, shaking his head.

"Cherry blossoms were Asami's scent," Mayumi says.

"Her scent?" I ask.

"When she used her energy, Hata says the whole place used to smell like cherry blossoms. Takumi says I smell like tatami. He smells like dirt."

"Loam, thank you," he replies, and she sticks out her tongue. "You can't smell your own energy, but all Takedas have one associated with their spiritual powers."

"What does mine smell like?" I ask.

"Flowers," Mayumi responds. "I haven't figured out which kind yet."

"Lilies, I think," Takumi replies. "By the way, Asaki." He points at the barriers still in my hands. "You've kept those steady this entire time."

I stare at him for a long moment before looking at Mayumi, who is beaming hugely. "You did it!" she cheers, throwing her arms around me and consequently making me drop both barriers. They dissipate, leaving the air smelling like dirt. Loam.

"Thank you," I whisper into her shoulder, hugging her back. When we break the embrace, I smile at Takumi. "Both of you."

"Whatever," he says, walking past us. "I just hate seeing people making simple mistakes."

"Say what you want," Mayumi chirps when he's out of earshot. "You're just a big softie."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Maybe to you."

"He showed you the records, didn't he?" she says, looking away from me, a pensive smile on her face like she's forgotten it was there.

"Yeah," I reply.

"Sometimes, I hate being a Takeda," she says, turning sad brown eyes my way. "Sometimes, I wonder how I'm supposed to be proud of a legacy that engendered and let thrive such a culture of hate." I bite my lip, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought but feeling like I should be doing something to help her.

She traces a finger along the page of the book still sitting on the table before she carefully puts it back in the drawer, closing it. It locks, and she looks up at me, saying, "But I can be proud of Fuyumi and Asami."

"Me too," I reply, nodding. "I've always hated this family that refused to acknowledge me or my mother." Sighing, I dig a hand into my hair, saying, "But you've been nothing but kind to me, so I guess you're not all bad." I grin to show I'm teasing, and she smiles in return.

"Good," she says, taking one of my hands in hers. "I swear, I'll continue to show you and everyone else in the world reasons we can be proud to be Takedas."

"Right," I say, squeezing her hand. "I'm looking forward to it."

…

After Takumi's instruction, I picked up the rest of the barrier lessons pretty easily. He stopped by every once in a while to watch and correct my form, but other than that, he didn't say much. Once I'd gotten good at forming and shaping barriers, I worked on purposing them. According to Mayumi, all that mattered was intent. If you put your thoughts into what you wanted done, the barrier would listen. Takumi said it wasn't quite that simple.

"If they just followed your thoughts, you'd lose control," he told me. "It's more about your will." He then showed me exactly how to will a barrier into doing what I needed. After a few tries, I was having more successes than failures. By the time Saturday rolled around, I felt like I'd made good progress. Whether Genkai agreed or not remained to be seen.

Sitting in that tatami room at Genkai's, I wait for her to enter so we can get started. I hadn't eaten a lot that morning out of nerves, but now I'm hungry. Hopefully, Yukina will make a good lunch because I'm pretty sure I could eat a pound of meat right now.

"Morning," Genkai grumbles as she walks in. Sliding the door shut behind her, she leans against the wall, looking like she'd rather be asleep.

"Good morning," I reply, getting to my feet. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," she says. "Just had a bunch of dimwits keeping me up all night. You're surprisingly awake considering how hard you've been working."

"Nervous," I mutter. "Hard to sleep."

"Well, I hope you haven't been slacking off. Show me what you can do."

I spend the next half an hour or so demonstrating the different shapes and sizes of barrier I can make. Some are visible, my pale orange energy shimmering in the air. Some aren't, using just tidbits of my strength. Those are weaker, but they work for smaller problems like bugs and the like. With any luck, my days of falling prey to Demon World insects are gone.

"Good," Genkai says when I'm done. "Let's see if your barriers can hold up under pressure." She leads the way outside where Jin, Rinku, and Touya are waiting. "I want you to make a barrier around yourself that will protect you from their attacks," she tells me.

"Right." I've never done anything this specific before, but maybe if I just ward off demon energy, it'll work out. Pressing my hands together, I let a barrier engulf me, settling in just a centimeter above my skin. When I finish, I open my eyes to find Jin rushing at me, the wind at his back like always. He collides with the barrier, bouncing off it, but the wind catches me, sending me skidding back.

"Block the wind as well," Genkai calls as Jin prepares to attack again.

I focus my will on Jin's energy and the wind he commands, bracing myself as he sends a gust my way. This moves around me, not even ruffling my hair. Jin follows it up with a series of blows and gales that have me gritting my teeth. Still, the barrier holds.

"Enough," Genkai calls. "Rinku next."

The yo-yos are much easier. No matter how much Rinku tries to squeeze the life out of me, he can't get the strings past my energy. When Touya steps up, I have to take slow, deep breaths to brace myself. _This is going to suck_.

As the cold creeps in, I remember the feather and focus on it, as I once again train my barrier to fend off Touya's energy and the ice he brings with it. With my eyes shut, it's not nearly as bad. I can't even feel the cold. However, when it's over, Genkai doesn't look happy.

"Thank you, boys," she tells Rinku, Jin, and Touya who wave as they head off to whatever they plan to do today. When she turns back to me, she sighs. "You can't fight with your eyes closed."

"I know," I reply. "I'm working on it. It's better, I swear."

"I can tell," she says. "You've been working very hard, Asaki." Genkai reaches in her pocket, holding out a smooth stone to me. It's midnight blue and polished to a shine. "Hang on to this for the next week. Don't let it go."

I take it from her, recoiling at the feeling that races up my spine. "Wh-what…?" I swallow down bile, forcing all of my willpower into not dropping the damn thing.

"It's throttling your demon side," she says calmly.

"It's what-ing my what?" I gasp.

"Your demon side will not be accessible to you for the entirety of next week. I want you to train with your family during that time, for the entirety of the next seven days. When you return, I expect two things: the ability to use your spiritual energy in demon form and the answer to my question. If the stone leaves your person for longer than it takes you to shower, I will know, do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, Master," I grunt, swallowing hard.

"That feeling will pass, I promise. Now, go pack. Tomorrow, leave for the shrine. I'll see you two Monday's from now, after class."

 _After class._ One more week, and summer would be over. Kurama would be home, and I would have so many things to tell him. _That is, if I survive this next week._

* * *

A/N: Woo, I'm late! I have written like 50 words since school started because things have been so hectic. I'm sorry, guys. I'll try to find time to keep pushing these out, but with so much else going on, it gets difficult. These chapters are really important to me, despite being Kurama-less. Maybe even because of that. There's a lot of exposition here, for which I apologize, but I'm actually really partial to these new characters I've tossed in here. However, for those asking, one more chapter and he'll be back. That's all I'm going to say.  
Anyway, thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews.


	63. Demon Crush

I get an early start as usual, doing my human training before heading into town to pack. I still don't know if the Takedas will even let me stay for the week, but Genkai seems confident enough. If they tell me no, what will I do?

When lunchtime rolls around, I head to the usual place to meet up with the guys. I bump into Kaito at a crosswalk, and he gives me the strangest look. "I haven't seen you like this in quite some time," he says, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"I wonder when that was," I say as we walk together. His taboo game, that's when.

"I miscalculated."

"Bet that freaked you out," I tell him, smiling. "Honestly, it did the same to me too."

"Twin souls," he says, his voice low and serious. "Master Genkai told me about it. You certainly won't be able to take it easy."

"Not in my vocabulary, that word," I reply. "Nothing in my life has ever been easy. Builds character or something stupid like that."

He nods, shifting the subject to something more benign until we get to the diner. The others are all waiting, and I have to introduce myself since no one other than Kuwabara and Yana have seen me looking like this.

"Wait, so you really are half demon," Kido says.

"Did you think I was just making that part up?" I ask, sighing as I settle in beside Mitarai.

"I never really thought much of it," Kido replies, shaking his head.

"Why are you walking around like that anyway?" Kuwabara asks.

"I can't wear my own skin?" I retort.

"You normally look like a demon when you come here," he says, shrugging. "I was just asking."

I groan, running a hand over my face. "Genkai is forcing me to stay like this for the week," I say. "She wants me to hone my spiritual powers. Apparently, she doesn't trust me either because she gave me this." I hold up the little stone for everyone to inspect. "It's supposed to prevent me from changing."

Kuwabara reaches out to touch it, but before he can, he whips his hand back. "Whoa, that thing is giving me the tickle feeling like crazy."

"The 'tickle feeling?'" Kaito inquires, sounding incredibly skeptical.

"It always used to let me know when something weird and supernatural was going on. I haven't felt it in a while, but this stone…." He trails off, shaking his head. "That's something else, Asaki."

"Right?" I say as the other four pass it around.

"Just feels like a rock to me," Yana says. The others concur before it makes it back to my palm.

"Maybe you need more training with Genkai," I reply, shaking my head. "Anyway, how's summer homework coming?"

Judging by the groan, I picked the right topic to segue intot. Kaito has finished his, which is expected, but the others actually pull out mostly empty sheets of paper with assignments on them. While we eat, Kaito and I help the others with some of their more difficult problems. Kuwabara is doing so much better than when he was in middle school, so he actually needs the least amount of assistance, which makes me happy. I'm so glad that he can thrive in a good environment.

I'm helping Mitarai through a math problem he's having difficulty with when he says, "So, you really meant all those things you said to me that night in Yusuke's apartment."

It takes me a moment to remember what he's talking about. That night when I told him about my own darkness and saw myself in him feels like it happened in another life. "Why wouldn't I have?" I ask, frowning.

"It just didn't feel real back then," he mumbles, erasing absently at his work. "I couldn't believe there was someone who'd had it worse than me or who could relate to my pain."

"I get that," I reply. "Sometimes, it feels like you're the only person in the world who suffers in the way you do. I've felt completely alone more times than I can count."

"Me too," he says, looking over at me with his deep blue eyes. "But, ever since you and Kuwabara came into my life, I've felt like that less and less."

"I know what you mean," I tell him. "With so many good friends around, it's hard to feel lonely anymore. From personal experience, I can tell you they won't let you. Especially not Kuwabara."

"I agree!" he says, laughing. "Kuwabara's absolutely amazing."

"He is. I don't know anyone else who can turn enemies into friends like he does or believe in something so strongly that he gains the ability to make it happen."

"Sounds like you," he tells me, his expression strangely intense.

I frown, shaking my head. "You're the second person who's tried to compare me to Kuwabara like that. I'm never going to be his level of amazing. At least, not in that way. I excel in other things."

"Like math?" he teases, and I chuckle.

"Yes, like math. Now, you've got to divide this here…."

…

Standing outside the gate to the shrine, I focus on the ancient wood instead of on the idea that my request will be denied. What if Hata doesn't even come for me today? It's not like I told anyone I would be coming back. No one is expecting me. Maybe I should just turn around now….

"Miss Asaki." Hata bows when I jump at the sound of his voice. "It's a pleasure to see you today. What brings you here?"

"Oh, um, I need to ask Takumi something. Is he...is he here?"

"The young master is in the courtyard. Permit me to escort you."

"Thanks." I bow slightly to him before I remember that he doesn't like obeisance from me. He smiles wryly as he turns to lead the way into the shrine. I have to swallow down my nerves every step of the way and try not to think about what awaits me at the end of this walk. I still don't think Takumi likes me, and I don't know if he ever will. That's fine. All I need is for him to say yes.

When we stop in the courtyard, it's to find Takumi with a _bo_ in his hands, practice dummies set up around him. He's shirtless, wearing loose white martial arts pants, and sweating hard. I watch, amazed as he swings the staff with ease, whacking the dummies with each spin, hit, and slash of the weapon. He doesn't miss a single target, and they all make satisfying sounds as he smacks them. Once he's inspected the dummies, he sets them back up again before walking over to the edge of the field where a towel and water bottle wait. It isn't until he's wiping away his sweat with the towel that he notices us and scowls.

 _Doing great so far, Asaki._ _He already looks so happy to see you._ "Um, hey, Takumi."

"Mayumi's tending the herb garden," he grunts, taking a swig of his water.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something." He narrows his eyes, already looking like he wishes this conversation was over. "Um, if it's all right with you, do you think I can stay here for the next week? My master wants me to hone my spiritual energy, and she seems to think this is the best place for me to do it. She was impressed with the barrier work you and Mayumi have taught me." The words all come out in a rush, and I brace myself for the negative reply.

"Your master?" he asks, frowning. "You're training with someone?"

"I am," I reply. "She gave me this," I pull the stone from my pocket, showing it to him, "to keep me from using my demon energy so that I can focus on human things."

He takes the stone in his hand, nearly dropping it as he gasps in surprise. "What the hell is that?" Wincing, he looks it over, and I can smell loam in the air as he inspects it. "There's so much spiritual energy in this," he breathes, shaking his head. "Who is your master?"

"She's an old demon exterminator," I reply. "Master Genkai."

"Genkai?" his eyebrows shoot up, and he looks down at the stone before passing it back to me, shaking his head. " _The_ Genkai, the legend herself, wants _us_ to train you? What could we possibly do that she couldn't?"

"I don't know," I reply. "I've learned it's better not to argue with her at this point. She doesn't take kindly to stupid questions. Is she really that famous that you know her?"

"This family has been in the business of fighting demons for centuries. Of course we would know of Genkai. Demons tremble in fear at her name."

I shrug, saying, "Yeah, me too."

He passes the stone back to me, sighing. "I can't say no to a request from someone like Genkai. But why did you come to me and not Mayumi?"

"Because I get the feeling you're the one in charge here while your parents are away," I tell him, locking eyes. I know Takumi is young, maybe eighteen or nineteen judging by his looks, but apparently he's responsible enough to be entrusted with the care of the shrine. I can tell Mayumi respects him as well, so I want to make sure I do this properly, for all our sakes. His dark brown eyes meet mine as I say, "I didn't want you to say yes because Mayumi wheedled it out of you. I wanted you to say yes because you were actually okay with it."

After a few seconds he sighs, pressing a hand to his forehead as he looks away. "I'm tolerant. Mayumi likes you, and you're a quick study. That's all there is to it." I don't say anything, and he taps his _bo_ absently on the ground. "You can stay here for the week, but if you disrupt our normal operations or get in the way of Mayumi's own training, I reserve the right to throw you out."

"Thank you," I reply, bowing low.

"And stop doing that," he barks. "It's weirding me out."

I stare at him for a moment before laughing. "You guys are killing me," I say. "Not a one of you will let me be polite. Makes me look like I was raised by wolves."

"Your upbringing aside," he starts, earning a dirty look from me, "it's too formal. We're…." He frowns. "I was going to say we're about the same age, but you've got to be over 300."

"I mean, I think that math checks out," I reply, smiling cheekily.

"Demons make everything so much more complicated," he sighs, tapping the end of his _bo_ on the ground again.

"You're telling me. I pass pretty well for a fifteen-year-old, though, don't I?"

"Too well," he says, shaking his head. "Anyway, you should go find Mayumi." He waves a hand at where Mayumi must be, turning to head back to his practicing.

"Right, right," I reply, looking in the direction he's vaguely gestured toward. Just as I move to take a step, I bite my lip, thinking. "Hey, Takumi?"

"What?" he groans, glaring back at me.

"Can you teach me how to use one of those?" I point to the weapon in his hands, wondering what I'm doing. _He's just going to tell you no. Maybe hit you with the thing._

The silence that stretches between us makes me squirm, and I wish I'd never asked him. When he does speak, I'm prepared for a blow. What I get instead is, "Hata, get another _bo._ And bring Mayumi here, please. She needs to practice as well."

"Of course, Master Takumi." He bows and is off, leaving me with Takumi who turns to face me, giving me the full force of his dark-eyed gaze.

"So, what do you know about using staves?"

…

The week flies by in a blur of activity. Every morning, I get up before the sun to run laps around the shrine grounds. After the first two mornings, Takumi and Mayumi join me. Then, the three of us tend to maintenance things like cleaning the floors and windows, making sure the place is looking good and ready for people who come to pray. Takeda shrine is pretty popular for that, and I hear the bell ringing that means someone has prayed for something regularly throughout each day.

Once that's done, Takumi and Mayumi show me how to wield kendo swords. I'm clumsy at first, but after a few days, I get the hang of the basics. Mayumi mimics her brother whenever he gives what I've come to learn is his signature speech about syncing mind, body, and spirit. We think it's funny. He makes us regret it with a few succinct rounds of practice in which he defeats us handily. When that's over, we eat breakfast, a very light, entirely vegetarian meal. Apparently, this is also part of Takumi's plan to help Mayumi hone her powers. She always complains, but she never forgets to say thank you to Hata for preparing it.

Then, Mayumi weeds the herb garden, and Takumi and I practice _bo_ work. It's difficult, but the first time I manage to land a hit on him feels good. Slowly but surely, he stops glaring angrily at me and starts treating me like I'm worth the time of day. Afterward, Mayumi begins to teach me other ways to use my spiritual energy.

"It's an extension of your body," she says. "So, you have to learn to use it without thinking, just like you do your arms and legs." Barriers are apparently the first and easiest step. She teaches me blocks and how to coat my arms and legs in energy to diminish the effect of blows from other energy sources. I also learn what Mayumi claims is the hardest bit of all: entrapment. With the right combination of factors, even the highest level demons can be trapped inside a barrier.

"You can use lots of different methods," Mayumi says. "It all depends on what you have with you. The easiest is with talismans. Purifying salts or water works well. When all else fails, sigils in the dirt or drawn on the ground will do if you can harness that power. That's the hardest one, so we'll tackle it last."

All of it seems pretty hard to me, but I don't complain, instead working until I nearly pass out from exhaustion. We always break for lunch, a slightly heartier meal, in the middle of this training, only to start up again until dinner. Once we've eaten the heaviest meal of the day, we relax for maybe an hour before we go back to it. Before bed every night, I make sure to run through the rest of the exercises I'd been doing at Genkai's, usually falling asleep while meditating.

This, on repeat for the next six days. By the time Sunday rolls around, I'm so tired I tumble out of bed, wishing that I could just fall right asleep again. Instead, I get up and go for a run. Neither of the siblings join me, and I wonder if they don't usually take it easy on Sunday mornings. My suspicions are confirmed when breakfast time rolls around and they both stumble, bleary-eyed, into the dining room.

"You are way too awake," Takumi grumbles at me when I bid them a good morning.

"I'm not entirely sure I can sleep in anymore," I tell him, chuckling as he nearly pours tea on his lap instead of in his cup. Hata helps him, receiving a sleepy "thank you" from the young man.

"That makes one of us," Mayumi replies, shaking her head. She looks to be in slightly better shape than her brother but still can't seem to stop yawning. "So, what's your plan for today?"

"I wanted to do some more training before lunch, and then I'm going to meet up with some friends and run some errands. After that, I'll probably…head back home?" I shrug, staring at the mug of tea between my hands. It's been so much fun here, spending time with the family I didn't know I had. Going back to normal is kind of sad.

"Promise you'll still come visit?" Mayumi asks, drawing my attention to her. The look in her big, brown eyes is heartbreaking, and I nod.

"Of course I will." I offer a smile, saying, "Hey, do you want to come to lunch with me? You can meet some friends of mine. They're all human, I swear," I add as Takumi narrows his eyes.

"Can I?" Mayumi asks, clapping her hands together, suddenly much more awake. "That sounds like fun!"

"If Takumi's okay with it," I say.

"Please, Takumi?" she pleads, turning those dangerous eyes of hers on him. I swear, mastery of puppy-dog-eyes should be illegal.

"W-well," he says, digging a hand into his pitch black hair, "yeah. Fine."

"Woo-hoo!" she cheers, throwing up a fist into the air. "I can't wait!"

"You'll have to," I reply. "Just a few hours, but still."

"Laaaame," she drawls, shaking her head as she takes a huge bite out of her apple.

"Patience is a virtue," Takumi says, sounding exhausted for an entirely different reason than before. I catch his eye, smiling, but he looks away, grimacing. It's hard not to laugh, so instead, I drink some more tea.

…

Mayumi and I continue training before we head out, and after successfully using a talisman to create a trap, Mayumi calls for a break.

"You've come so far in so little time," she says, shaking her head in amazement. "I'm really proud of you."

"You're an amazing teacher," I reply, smiling. "I wouldn't have done nearly so well without your encouragement."

"Don't sell yourself short," she says. "You even impressed Takumi yesterday with your barrier work."

"True." I'd managed to deflect every blow he'd tried to land on me, both physical and spiritual, surprising myself as well. "Hey, Mayumi?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think the difference between a demon and a human is?"

She frowns, crossing her arms. "Why do you ask?"

"Master Genkai told me I needed to have an answer by the time I got back, but no matter how much I think about it, I come up with nothing." Sighing, I sit down on the floor, stretching my legs out in front of me. "She said to ignore the physical and ability differences and dig deeper."

"Deeper, huh?" Mayumi joins me on the floor, thinking. "The way I've always been taught to think about it, demons are the other side of the same coin."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain," she says, pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Like, in our worlds, there are demons and humans. Sometimes, you can't tell the difference between the two, and sometimes you can. Humans on average are weaker than demons. We live shorter lifespans, but we also enjoy safer lives. Both sets prey on each other, but only one side gets punished for it. There are two sides to a coin. For us humans, demons are just the other side."

"And sometimes," I say, speaking slowly as I think, "that coin lands on one side or the other. There are times when the balance tilts in favor of one of us."

"Although, it's been pretty heavily human-sided for a long time," Mayumi adds, frowning.

"Right," I agree, thinking about the power struggles in Demon World right now. Depending on how that goes, the scales might shift very soon. On top of that, with my father buying out portions of Spirit World, things could get really messy really fast.

"Humans and demons are brothers and sisters from different parents," she says. "I doubt we'll ever fully see eye-to-eye, but sometimes we can surprise each other. You're living proof of that."

"I guess you're right," I reply, sighing as I flop back on the tatami floor. "Although, I'm also living proof that both sides of the coin suck. Neither one has the monopoly on bigotry."

Mayumi reaches for my hand, squeezing it softly. "Humans and demons. We're just two sets of creatures trying to make our way in the world."

"Right. Right right." Closing my eyes, I start to wonder if this answer will suffice. Regardless, it's the only one I've got.

...

"Mayumi, calm down," I tell her as we stop outside the diner where the boys are waiting. "They're mostly normal humans."

"Mostly," she replies, nodding. I'd told her a little about their territories and Kuwabara's abilities before we'd left the temple so she wouldn't be surprised when we got here. "But they're your friends. I want to know what kind of people you spend time with."

"Remind me to introduce you to my best friend when he gets back from Demon World," I say, and she stares, wide-eyed.

"Your best friend is a demon?"

"I too am a demon," I tell her, shaking my head with a wry smile. "In case you've forgotten. I just happen to be stuck in my human body."

"Sorry," she says, looking down at her feet. "I'm still working on the idea that you've got this whole other half I've never seen."

"I'd show it to you, but Genkai would find out somehow." I wince, pushing open the door to the diner and waving at the guys as Mayumi follows me over to their table.

"You're always bringing in strays," Kaito says, eyeing Mayumi.

"You're always a pain in the neck," I reply, turning away from him in favor of the others. "Guys, this is Mayumi Takeda, my cousin on my mom's side."

"Whoa, really?" Kuwabara asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Yep. I met her the other day. Her family runs the Takeda shrine in town."

"Hey, I go there to pray for luck on exams all the time," Yana says.

"I've seen you," Mayumi replies, smiling widely. "Yanagisawa who prays for luck in exams and with women."

Kido snorts a laugh, and Yana elbows him hard. "Hey, come on, Takeda. Why do you have to rat me out like that?" Yana asks.

"Sorry," she says, though the grin on her face says otherwise. The two of us take seats between Mitarai and Kuwabara and the waitress comes to take our orders.

"I don't think the gods are interested in your test results," Kaito tells Yana. "Or your plight with the fairer sex."

"But they sure do care about you beating your rival," Mayumi says, making Kaito choke on the water he'd taken a drink of. "Kaito who prays for outscoring Shuichi on every assignment."

Everyone laughs at that, and Kaito blushes bright red. "Is there not patron-shrine confidentiality?" he growls at Mayumi.

"Not for those who laugh at the wishes of others," she retorts, and I can't help but feel proud of her for being able to go toe-to-toe with Kaito's sass.

The rest of the guys introduce themselves, and Mayumi starts to talk earnestly with Kuwabara. Apparently, he puts out a lot more spiritual energy than the average person. I've been non-stop at that shrine for the past week, so I haven't really looked at too many people other than my cousins, but I notice that if I concentrate, I can see Kuwabara's energy where I couldn't before. Yana, Kaito, and Kido have a different kind of energy signature than Kuwabara's. His actually looks more like Mayumi and Takumi's, and I wonder what the reason for that is.

Once lunch is done, we go our separate ways, all the guys telling Mayumi it was nice to meet her and they hope to see her again. As they left, she was smiling and waving her goodbyes.

"I'm glad you guys got along so well," I tell her.

"They're pretty easy to get along with," she replies. "Kuwabara is my favorite, though. He was really funny."

"He's a good guy," I say, nodding. "All right, well, now I'm going to Kaito's rival's house."

"Wait, that's why you all thought that was so funny," Mayumi says, frowning. "You actually know this Shuichi?"

"He's my best friend," I tell her, grinning.

"That's amazing!" she laughs.

"Right? Anyway, he's coming back from Demon World tomorrow, but I've been looking after his garden while he was away."

"Garden?" Mayumi perks up at that, her big brown eyes suddenly super-focused on me. "Is it a big garden?"

"It's just in his backyard, but it's gorgeous."

"Can I come see?" she asks.

I shrug, saying, "Probably? His mother should be home, and she's very nice, so she probably won't mind."

"Yay!" Mayumi throws a fist in the air in excitement, and I laugh as a breeze starts to play around my feet. My skin prickles, and suddenly, I sense demon energy all around us as the wind starts to pick up. Grabbing Mayumi's hand, I pull her behind me, not sure what I think I'll be able to do in this human body. I haven't practiced my barriers or traps on actual demons before, so who knows if they'll even work?

Suddenly, a flash of red falls from the sky, landing lightly on the ground in front of me, and I breathe a sigh of relief. "Jin! What are you doing here?"

The poofy-haired demon gives me a huge grin as he says, "Hello to you too, Asaki. I came all this way just to see you, I did, with a message from Master Genkai."

"A message?" I drop Mayumi's hand, but she stays behind me. When I look back at her, I realize she's shaking just a little. "It's okay," I tell her. "He's a friend. Jin, this is my cousin, Mayumi Takeda. Mayumi, this is Jin. He's a wind demon in case you couldn't tell."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mayumi," he trills, skipping right past any formality. He gives her a little bow that she hesitantly returns.

"Y-you too, Mr. Jin," she says.

"Ah, now there be no need for the Mr. if you don't mind. Regular old Jin does me just fine."

"Jin," she says, nodding and stepping out from behind me.

"Anyway, what's the message?" I ask.

"Right," he says. "Genkai wants me to tell you to lose the stone while you're at school. She says she knows you're a demon in class."

I hadn't even thought about that, but I'm relieved Genkai did. I'd just been planning to go to school as a human, not even paying attention to the fact that I have never done so in my entire life. "I'm glad someone pays attention," I sigh, shaking my head. "Thanks, Jin. I'm sorry you came all this way just for that."

"Not at all," he chirps. "It's a nice break from the temple, it is, and you know I never mind a good excuse for flying. Got a few more things I ought to take care of before I head back. It was nice meeting you, Mayumi." He gives her a wink before jumping straight up into the air and flying off.

"He's lucky no one else is around," I grumble, shaking my head. "Sorry about that, Mayu…." _Is she_ blushing? "Mayumi, are you okay?"

"Wh-what?" she stammers, looking at me with wide eyes. A guilty expression slides across her face, and she stares down at her feet. "I'm fine. Totally fine."

"What's with that look?" I ask, elbowing her gently. "Don't tell me you've got a crush on Jin now."

"No!" she gasps. "I-I mean, he is cute, but…."

"Aww," I tease, grinning hugely. "He is cute, I agree. Just don't tell Takumi, okay? I think he'd kill me if he knew I introduced you to a demon."

"He'd kill me if he knew I thought one was cute," she replies, shaking her head. "A-anyway. Let's go to your friend's house."

"Right!"

…

I think Shiori would have adopted Mayumi after dinner if we hadn't made ourselves scarce. The two had hit it off just as well as I'd hoped, Shiori picking up on our relation before I even had time to tell her as much. She said we had similar features, something that made me happy beyond words. When she and I both discovered how much Mayumi loved gardening, that only served to her endear her even more.

"Holy whoa," she whispers when we step into his backyard. "One person tends to all of this?"

"He sure does," Shiori says. "My Shuichi has always been very talented with plants."

"Yeah, just a little," she mutters, running her hands over leaves, burying her fingers in dirt and checking roots for who-knows-what. "You've been doing a good job looking out for these, Asaki," she says, her head stuck in some bushes.

"Thanks," I reply, "although I don't think I've ever gotten that close to them."

"I think they must miss Shuichi," she says, removing her head from the foliage. "They like you well enough, but they're a bit sad."

"How on earth can you tell that?" I ask.

"Feel them out," she says. "Not with your hands," she whispers when I go to reach for one.

"Okay." I close my eyes, letting my spiritual energy slide out and encompass the plants nearest me. _She's right_. The plants respond to me, eager to mingle their energy with my own, but it's not what they want. They want Kurama.

"That's the weirdest thing," I say.

"I wish they responded to me half as well as they do to Shuichi," Shiori says, frowning. "I'm not very good with plants, though I wish I could be."

"You just need to put in the right amount of time and love," Mayumi says, smiling hugely at Kurama's mother. "You get what you give."

Now, as I lay on the floor of Mayumi's room, I think back on that, wondering…did I really give as much as I should have these past weeks? I trained night and day, as much and as hard as I could. Will the results yielded be good enough? _You get what you give._

Mayumi rolls over on her futon, and I sigh. She hadn't let me go home, begging for one more night. I couldn't refuse her. I didn't really want to be alone tonight anyway. I wonder if Kurama's home. Shiori had said he would be back late, but I hadn't wanted to stay. As badly as I want to see him, I'm also nervous. What if he sees the same girl he left behind? What if he doesn't? I don't know which would be worse.

 _You get what you give._ I pull my blanket over my head, curling up into a ball. _It'll be fine. I worked so hard, and he's going to notice and be proud of me. And even if he isn't…I'm proud of me. That's what counts._

Just like that, my apprehension turns to anticipation. _I get to see Kurama again._ My heart is beating fast and strong in my chest, my face warming at the thought. The guy I love will be close enough to touch for the first time in so long. Smiling to myself, I lower the blanket, taking a big, deep breath and letting it out slowly. Tomorrow will be the start of something new, I just know it. _I can't wait._

* * *

A/N: Let's play my favorite game: How Many Extra Kids Will Shiori Have by the Time I'm Done Writing? Seriously, she's such a mom. I love her. I also love this chapter. Nothing like Asaki working hard to make me feel like I'm slacking like a boss. Also, I want to give a shout out to **bluerose921** who probably doesn't even remember leaving a review about their Jin crush. You're the reason Mayumi has that moment in this chapter. Thanks for inadvertently giving me that idea!

A special thanks to **Sammie** for the review and to everyone who's been favoriting and following recently. I don't give enough credit to you guys, but every time I get a new notification like that, it makes me really happy. Thanks again for reading, and I'll see you guys next time!


	64. Not Not an Option

I'm almost late on my first day back, having misjudged the distance from the shrine to school. As I slip into class right before the bell, someone grips my shoulder tightly, making me flinch. It takes everything in me not to flip the person over my shoulder, the result of an awful lot of combat training. Instead, I take a deep breath, looking over at Rikka.

"Asaki!" she growls, her voice low and unhappy-sounding.

"Y-yeah?" I ask, turning to face her.

"I missed you!" she cries, throwing her arms around my waist and burying her face in my shoulder.

"Ah, hey!" I sigh, patting her on the back as some of our classmates stare on, not impressed. "Easy, there. I missed you too." As much as I had time to miss anyone, really.

"You're hard," she mumbles, pulling away from me.

"Hard?"

"Did you spend the whole summer working out?" she asks. "You look more muscly than before."

"I told you I was going to be an ascetic," I reply, shaking my head. "I spent my entire summer at a temple and a shrine."

"Ew, I thought you were kidding," she says.

"Lay off, Rikka," a voice from beside me says, and I look over to find a very tan Kanta coming our way. "Hey, Asaki."

"Good morning," I say, frowning. "You, uh, spend a lot of time in the sun?"

"I was sign-flipping for my dad's shop," he says.

"You should have seen him," Rikka teases, grinning. "The first day, he just kept dropping the sign."

"I got pretty good by the end," he replies, shrugging.

"I kind of want to see that now," I say as the final bell rings, and we take our seats. All the usual suspects are back from a long summer, their homework in various states of complete, except…. There's no sign of Minako. The reason for that becomes clear as our teacher announces she's transferred to another class.

"Transferred?" Rikka hisses, and I sigh. Knowing Rikka, I'm pretty sure my lunch is going to be taken over by looking for Minako. So much for trying to find Kurama like I'd originally planned. _It's fine. I want to make sure Minako's okay, anyway._ Kurama can wait. If I don't find him, he'll find me. He might be unhappy when he does, but I'm sure he'll make his way to me, even if I can't do the same.

As predicted, once class lets out for lunch, Rikka yanks me to my feet, grabs Kanta's shirt, and drags us out of the room. "We've got to find Minako," Rikka says.

"For once, I actually agree with you," Kanta replies. "She just transferred classes, so she's still here somewhere."

"Let's try the classroom at the end of the hall," I say.

"Why start there?" Rikka asks. "Shouldn't we go next door first?"

"I just have a feeling." Which is normal human speak for: I used my spiritual powers to seek out her energy and located it at the end of the hall. I haven't had much opportunity to practice using my human energy in demon form, but I can tell my senses are sharper for the training.

"If you say so," Rikka says, sighing. "Let's go." Kanta and I follow her to the last classroom in the first year hallway, and she pushes open the door, looking around. "Minako!" she cries, stepping right inside, not a care in the world.

"She's something else," I mutter, shaking my head.

"She sure is," Kanta sighs, but I can see the hint of a smile on his lips.

We follow behind Rikka, ignoring the raised eyebrows from the other kids in the room, stopping at Minako's desk. She's gripping a notebook tightly in her hands as Rikka stands over her, looking worried.

"Minako! We heard you transferred. What happened?" Rikka asks.

"Nothing," Minako replies, not meeting the other girl's eyes. "It's not a big deal."

"It _is_!" Rikka snaps. "The three of us have been in the same class since we met. Now, our game's completely thrown off."

"What she means to say," Kanta steps in, "is that we're going to miss you. Is everything okay?"

Minako grips her notebook tighter, looking up at Kanta with sad eyes. That's when a wild guess hits me, and I feel a weight settle into my stomach. When I'd noticed that Kanta had feelings for Rikka, I'd thought it was cute, been happy for him, wished him luck in my head. But, Minako…as she looks helplessly from Kanta to Rikka and then back to her notebook, I realize I can't be happy for her, only sad. I think she's in love with both of them.

"Hey, Minako?" Her head shoots up at the sound of my voice, and her eyes go wide as I extend a hand to her. "Come down to the school store with me?" She stares at my hand for what feels like a small eternity, but eventually, she does grasp it, and I help her to her feet.

"We'll come—"

"I'll see you during class," I tell Rikka, giving her a smile that doesn't allow for any argument.

"Ah, r-right," she stammers, the most speechless I've ever seen her. With a wave, Minako and I head out of the room and walk downstairs together. It isn't until we're standing in the throng of students looking to by bread and snacks in the school store that I turn to her.

"Is it Kanta and Rikka?"

She stiffens at my side, grabbing a lock of her hair and fiddling with it nervously. "I-I don't know what you mean."

I frown, picking up a wrapped melon pan from the shelf in front of me, eyeing the confection. It looks a little…less than appetizing, but I grab it anyway, wishing I'd picked a less crowded place for this. Sarayashiki hadn't even had a place like this where you could buy other food for lunch, so I hadn't realized how busy it would be. Even so, the more people around, the easier it is to feel like you're alone without having to be. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But, I'm here to listen, since I have a feeling you can't tell either of them."

"I don't want to talk about it," she whispers as I reach for a little bag of cookies, also inspecting these. "I just want to ignore it until it goes away."

"I know that feeling," I reply, staring intently at the bag as I feel her gaze on me. "There were so many times I wished I didn't feel the way I do about a person. I didn't want to talk about it either." I add the cookies to my haul, frowning at the yakisoba pan they have lined up. "But, I learned that it's pretty rude to think like that."

"Rude?" she mumbles, her voice low and flat.

"Having feelings for people is pretty cool, honestly. There was a point in my life where I couldn't feel anything at all. It wasn't until I learned it was okay to care that I realized how important doing so was. So, maybe it hurts now. Maybe it sucks, but…if you learn to accept those feelings and face them, it's a lot easier to figure out how to move forward."

Silence falls between us, so I grab the questionable bread and a few more things before heading up to the register to pay. She follows behind me, and we stand in line, waiting. A few more seconds pass. Finally, she says, "I switched classes because I couldn't accept it. I didn't want to. Seeing them together every day _hurts._ "

"I'm sorry," I tell her, not looking her way. There are so many people in here, pushing and shouting, but at least the line is moving. "You still want to be friends with them, right?"

"Of course!" she replies, and this time, I do steal a glance in her direction. There's fire in her eyes, and I sigh, relieved. _That, we can work with._

"I think giving yourself space isn't a bad idea," I tell her. "It'll give you time to think, which you look like you need. As long as you don't give up on them, they will never give up on you."

"I know," she says, almost wringing her notebook between her hands. I tap her fingers, and she jumps, looking down at what she's done. "Ah!" She loosens her grip, looking miserable.

"It'll be okay," I tell her, smiling softly. "Time can do a lot for a person." She nods, taking a deep breath as I pay for the bread. Once we step out into the hallway, I sigh, relieved to be out of the crush of bodies.

"You don't think it's weird?"

"What?" I ask, frowning as I turn to look at her. She'd lagged behind me on the way out, and now she's staring at her shoes.

"That I'm in love with my two best friends?"

"Not even a little," I reply, making her look up. _I'm in love with one of mine._

"Or that one of them is a girl?"

"No. As far as I care, the only reason to pick a partner based on sex is for procreation." I can't exactly tell her that the typical demon doesn't settle down with a single partner or put too much value in biological sex. Even I don't care if the person I fall for is male, female, or something in between as a lot of demons don't even register with human biology standards. I do know how strict the rules of human society are on this however, and I understand why she's so worried. Humans have always been slow to change.

Minako snorts a laugh, and I stare, surprised. "Your bluntness is always so refreshing," she tells me, smiling wryly. It's a small smile, but it gives me hope that she'll overcome all of this.

"Well, thanks," I drawl. "I'm glad someone enjoys how often I put my foot in my mouth."

"Thank you, Asaki." She absently rubs at a corner of her sketchbook, saying, "I think you're right and everything will be okay. I just need time."

"You've got plenty of that." I pass her a few of the breads I'd bought, saying, "I can't eat all of this. I just bought it so I had something to do while we talked."

"You're so weird," she says, laughing breathlessly, like she's surprised to be doing it.

"Little bit," I reply, and we're both laughing as we walk back to class. When Rikka asks me what's up with Minako, I tell her she's just dealing with a broken heart and needs some alone time to heal. Rikka doesn't like this, but after a few minutes, she just sighs and goes to finish her lunch.

"You're a really good friend, Asaki."

"Thanks, Kanta." He's standing beside me, his eyes on Rikka as she sulkily stabs her chopsticks into an octopus-shaped hot dog. "Sometimes, I wonder."

"Rikka just likes to pout for the sake of pouting," he says. "She'll be over it by the time the last bell rings."

"I'll take your word for it."

He's right. When the bell rings to release us for the day, Rikka is back to her peppy, spunky self. Minako meets us outside the classroom, and we all walk together like nothing's happened. If Minako is a little slower to respond to Rikka's comments, none of us mentions it as we head to the front gate.

Once we step out into the sunshine, a worry begins to settle into my stomach about going to see Genkai. She's testing me today, after all. Before it has too much room to bloom, however, a vaguely familiar voice calls from behind us.

"Is that an angel I see? Asaki?"

I frown, turning to find two upperclassmen heading toward me. One of them is Shota and the other is…Keniichiro, I think. Both are from the Quiz Club, though only Shota has spoken to me since that Valentine's Day what feels like ages ago. It's hard to believe it's really only been a few months.

"It _is_ Asaki!" Shota cries, dashing over to me. He grabs both of my hands, saying, "I told you you'd look good in Meiou red."

"Ah, yeah," I say, well aware of the wide-eyed stares of my friends.

"Cool your jets, Romeo," Keniichiro deadpans, grabbing the collar of Shota's shirt and yanking him back a step. Shota drops my hands as he struggles for breath.

"Dammit, Ken," Shota growls. "Can you go a little easy on me?"

"If I give you an inch, you'll take a mile," Keniichiro says. "Sorry, Asaki. He's a little summer crazy. I think he should have taken another day off."

"You're no fun," Shota says, crossing his arms. "Oh, hey, Asaki, guess what?"

"What?" I ask.

"Shuichi didn't do any of his summer homework!"

I frown as Rikka, Kanta, and Minako come to stand beside me. "Seriously?" Not that I'm all that surprised. He did spend the summer helping win a war. I wonder how that went. Sighing, I tug on the end of my braid, wishing I could see him more than ever.

"Yep. He's got to stay after and make it up today."

"He doesn't strike me as the type to skip out on work," Rikka says, drawing attention to herself. "Also, Asaki, you should introduce us to your friends."

"Oh, right, right." I pass around names before saying, "Well, I guess I won't wait for him, then. I have somewhere I need to be."

"No way!" Rikka and Shota chorus. They exchange a look, eyes narrowing. "I thought your monk training was over!" Rikka says.

"Monk training?" Shota mutters, confused.

"It's not monk training, and it's not over." The after school bell rings, and I sigh. "However, if I don't get to the temple soon, I might be over."

"But—" Shota makes to reach for my hand again, but Keniichiro stops him.

"Stop harassing the girl," Keniichiro says. "Sorry about him."

"It's fine," I reply, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm getting kind of used to his level of energy. I cast a glance at Rikka, who raises her eyebrows. "Anyway. It was good to see all of you again. I'll catch you later." With that, I dash off to the train station.

 _Things must have been rough in Demon World if Kurama didn't finish his homework._ Mine hadn't taken more than a few hours, and that by sheer quantity of assignment and not difficulty. His was likely the same, and yet he hadn't had time to do it. I hope things aren't really as bad as that suggests.

The train is about to leave as I reach the platform. I slip in just as the doors are closing, but before they do, I swear I hear someone call my name. When I turn to look, however, I see no one familiar, just an afternoon crowd. With a shrug, I take a seat, leaning my head back and trying to clear my mind. I'm one train ride away from figuring out if Genkai regrets letting my family train me. Or if I regret it for that matter.

 _Guess I won't be seeing Kurama today either._ I never told him I was training with Genkai, although maybe she did. Not that it matters. It's his first day back, so he'll probably spend it with his family. Closing my eyes, I focus on my spiritual energy, letting it mingle with my demon energy until it surrounds me. It's hard work and takes all my concentration, something I'm thankful for as it means I don't have to think about fox demons I'd really like to see again.

When I get to Genkai's, I head straight for the room I'd been practicing my human strength in. changing to human form. After running through some basic exercises, I sit cross-legged on the floor, meditating. Considering the last time Master Genkai had tested me had been here, this seems like a good place to wait for her. Time passes slowly, but I hardly notice as I think back on everything I've done this summer.

Going toe to toe with all the guys had been a lot of fun, surprisingly. Even fighting Touya had gotten more manageable thanks to Yukina's training. Of all the things I've done since school let out, that was probably the hardest. I'm much better now than I was at the start, but I'm still not where I want to be. That demon Mitarai and I fought and the cold I'd caught had been unexpected, but I learned a lot from both, including the limits of my body that can feel pain again. My date with Chu and the unconditional love Shiori had shown me made me realize just how important I am in a lot of people's lives. Spending time with Kuwabara, Yana, Kido, Kaito, and Mitarai also helped me learn how important Kuwabara is to a lot of people as well. He's like the glue that holds us together, and it's not right that he's being left out of the loop, ties to Demon World notwithstanding. Meeting my mother's family and Hata, training with them, and learning about what made us different and the same had been truly humbling, and I can't wait to see what else they can teach me.

Where do I go from here, I wonder. I've done so much growing, mentally, spiritually, and physically, that it feels like I'm an entirely different person. So much has changed, and yet, I have a sinking feeling it would be too easy for things to go back to the way they were. That scares me more than anything. I don't want to go back; I want to keep changing and growing, constantly seeking to better myself. I just…I don't know what path I need to take.

As I'm pondering this, I feel a shift in the air as someone opens the door to the room. My first thought is Genkai, but this energy doesn't feel familiar. It's mostly demon, but there's something else I can't put my finger on. Either way, it doesn't seem friendly, and it's approaching me slowly. I get to my feet, taking a slow, deep breath before whirling around, aiming a fist at the newcomer. When he catches it, my blue eyes meet his green, and I'm certain we wear mirrored looks of surprise.

"Asaki?" he asks, sounding breathless.

"Kurama!" I cry, wrenching my fist from his hand so I can leap at him, throwing my arms around his neck. He isn't expecting this either, apparently, so I knock him over, his arms coming around me. I bury my face in his shoulder, holding him tightly and breathing him in, smelling roses and a faint tinge of sweat. "I missed you," I mumble against his shirt.

"I missed you too," he whispers into my hair, squeezing me tightly.

We stay like that for probably half a minute before I realize I'm currently laying on top of Kurama on the ground and that anyone could come in and get the wrong idea. I climb off of him, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I sit back on my ankles. "Sorry about that," I breathe, my heart pounding fast in my chest. "I just got excited."

"It's quite all right," he replies, running a hand through his long red hair, instilling in me a very strong urge to do the same.

"You didn't hit your head, did you?" I ask, extending a hand to him.

"Not hard," he says, letting our fingers touch. I push a little bit of my energy into him before pulling away, unable to stop the silly smile that stretches across my face.

"I really am sorry about that."

"You don't look it," he teases, an answering smile on his face.

"When did you get back?" I ask him.

"Late last night," he says. "I missed you at school, but I caught up to you at the train station. I called your name, but you were already on the train."

"So someone did call for me!" I say, shaking my head. "Sorry about that."

"It's all right," he says. "The doors would have kept you from me anyway."

 _I don't want anything to keep me from you._ "What are you doing here?" I ask, trying not to make it too obvious I'm checking him over to make sure he's not hurt or anything. He looks just the same as ever, for the most part. There's something different about his eyes that I can't quite place.

"I came to check on the friends I'd asked Genkai to look after."

"You're the reason I've been pummeled by those meatheads all summer?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I wasn't aware you were here until just now," he says, giving me an accusatory look.

"It kind of slipped my mind to tell you," I reply, leaning back on my hands and looking up at the ceiling. "It's been such a long summer, and I have so many things I want to tell you."

"Likewise," he says, getting to his feet and helping me to mine. "However, that will have to wait. I have to see Genkai and Koenma first."

I make a face, saying, "Koenma's here?"

"He wants to know the state of things in Demon World," Kurama replies as we head out of the temple toward where Chu and the others are training. Once everyone had reached a certain power level, Genkai had said we were a hazard to her home and found us somewhere more suited to our reckless amounts of energy. We either trained in a cave or in the mountains.

"Me too, really," I reply, sighing. It feels really nice to walk with Kurama again, to be at his side.

"All in time," he says, as we stop before the stone stairs leading to the heavily warded doorway into a cave through which the others are probably training. Genkai is there, watching us.

"They're here?" Kurama asks her.

"Sure, they're here," she replies.

"Has all the training been going well?"

"Yes," Genkai says, hands crossed behind her back, "but I don't think it's enough. Hell, I doubt Yusuke's strength is enough." Which isn't a comforting thought.

"Yo." I look over to the side to see Koenma arrive, waving to us. Kurama nods at him, heading for the door as Koenma says, "So, what's your plan? This could turn into a war, you know?"

War. Such a nasty word for one so small. I wrap my arms around myself, sighing. We all knew it might come to this...but what does it have to do with Kurama and the others? Unless….

"If what you mean to ask is why I am involved," Kurama says, his voice serious, "I want to make sure the result isn't bad for Living World."

"I believe that's part of it," Koenma counters, "but I doubt you plan to come out of this as Demon World's new king. And I know the threat on your family, but you could get around that."

 _Threat on his family?_ Why am I so out of the loop?

"When Raizen dies, the power balance will fly out of control, and the outcome will be crucial. Kurama, I need you to tell me your motivations aren't personal."

"I can't do that," he says levelly. "Ask Hiei or Yusuke if it's personal."

"I don't have to," Koenma says. "I know you're all fighting for some inner need. But, the stakes are too high for that. If Mukuro takes over, we'll have more chaos than ever before."

"And if it's Yomi," Kurama says, having reached the door at the top of the stone steps, "there could be a unity. That's just as dangerous."

"Whatever does happen there, how it's resolved will affect all three worlds for centuries. When you're making your decisions, just try to keep that in mind."

Kurama pushes open the door, narrows his eyes, and gestures for me to follow him. I sigh, running a hand through my hair before doing as I'm bid, wishing I knew what the hell was going on. When he closes the door behind us, he leans against it, looking kind of pissed.

"War is sure to break out in Demon World," he tells me, his voice very low. "Raizen refuses to eat humans, and because of that, he will soon die."

Raizen! I press a hand to my mouth, eyes wide. What kind of stupidity is a human-eating demon not doing what he was made to do?

"When he does, what Koenma said is sure to come. Yomi...has blackmailed me into staying on his side."

"By threatening your family. Right." I place a hand on one hip, saying, "I won't question your judgment or your motives like Koenma did. I know you wouldn't go into this lightly. I just want to know where they fit into this." I gesture vaguely toward the rest of the cave where the others are waiting.

"I promised Yomi six powerful fighters for his army: Chu, Rinku, Touya, Jin, Suzuki, and Shishi. He's going to get seven."

"Who's the seventh?" I ask.

His green eyes flash in the dark, as he says, "You."

I stare, dumbfounded for a second before barking, "Me?"

"The last thing I want is to put you in harm's way," he says, sounding irritated with something. "However, we're going to need everyone who can fight in order to pull this off. Besides, I promised I wouldn't leave you behind again."

Swallowing hard, I nod. "You did. Thank you."

"Don't," he says. "Including you in this fight is doing you no favors."

"Maybe not," I reply, "but I'm a lot more useful on the frontlines than I am waiting for the people I love to come back to me."

"And I intend to help you train so you can become even moreso," he adds, finally stepping forward into the darkness to meet the other six fighters who would soon serve Yomi.

…

Several hours later, after Kurama has assessed the others, Chu has an inspired idea.

"Hey, you should fight Asaki," Chu says to Kurama. "She whoops the rest of us pretty sound-like, so you wouldn't get a good idea how much stronger she is unless you beat her yourself."

"I, uh, don't like that idea," I reply, frowning at Chu. Not only am I certain Kurama's going to kick my ass, I also don't want to hurt him, which is next to impossible considering how I fight.

"Aw, come on, Asaki!" Rinku whines. "Fire against grass, you should be able to beat him easily."

"We're ignoring the fact that he has hundreds of years on me, I guess?" I deadpan.

"Chicken?" Shishi taunts, and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Only a moron wouldn't be."

"They're right, however," Kurama says, his low voice drawing all the attention back to him. "I need to get a good idea of how much stronger you've gotten."

"But, I…." I trail off as I realize everyone's staring at me, waiting for me to finish my sentence. _I don't want to._ How weak would that sound? I don't have a real reason other than the fact that I don't want to do battle with the man I love, but I can't exactly say that. Besides…they're right. This will be a good way for Kurama to gauge where I stand and for me to see how far I still have to go. _You wanted to keep growing, right?_ Catch me eating my own thoughts.

"Fine," I growl, balling my hands into fists. "I'll fight you."

"All right," Genkai says, having joined us in the cave after presumably sending Koenma on his way. "Follow me." She leads the way to an open, grassy field, far from anything I can catch on fire or Kurama can use against me aside from the grass, not that either of us are at all disadvantaged. I can burn anything, and I'm sure he's got enough seeds on him to regrow a rainforest.

"No killing each other," Genkai says. "The first one rendered incapable of battling, whether by surrendering or losing consciousness, loses."

 _Oh, good. It's basically no holds barred. This is going to suck._ Even when fighting the guys, I swear there were more rules involved.

"Ready? Fight!"

"Don't go easy on me," Kurama says, raising an absent hand, palm up to the sky. "I want to see how hard you've been training." With that, I dash toward him, launching a kick to his head. He skips backward, moving out of reach as he looks me over.

I wish I felt like I could get close and stay that way, since I'm better at hand to hand combat. His close-quarters fighting sucks, but that doesn't mean I want to give him the chance to plant a seed on me. He gives me a sly grin as I summon a wheel of fire, sending it tumbling toward him. He steps out of the way, pulling a rose from his hair as he does so.

"Rose Whip!" And just like that, Kurama's signature move is on the opposing side of the field.

"I can do that too," I reply, summoning a whip made of flames. He narrows his eyes, and we both step forward, our weapons meeting in the middle with a massive crack and a hiss. I wish the fire could just burn through his rose, but I know it won't be that easy as we square off, matching blow for blow, sparks of flame and tufts of smoke surrounding our weapons. He's got more dexterity than me, and I know I can't keep this up.

After a minute of this, I realize he's getting the upper hand, so I know I have to end things. I lash out at him, our weapons colliding as I bring up my free hand, sending a blast of fire at his whip for the express purpose of creating a huge cloud of smoke. It rises up, obscuring my vision, and I hear Kurama gasp. Some of the fire must have hit him, unlike the kick I launch at his head that he dodges back from.

I backpedal hard, slipping out of melee range, wishing I thought I could stay there. Most of my fighting prowess comes from close combat, but I have a sinking feeling if I get that close for too long, I'll be the one in trouble. Honestly, I have my doubts that anywhere is safe at this point.

When the smoke clears, Kurama stands before me, his right forearm a little red, the sleeve burnt clear off. "A hit," he says, smiling wryly. Even from here I can see the predatory look in his eyes, his face flushed red from exertion and excitement. As reluctant as I'd been to fight him, apparently he's getting into this. Maybe I should too.

He flicks his wrist, and before I have time to react, his whip slides around me, constricting my movement. He yanks tightly, and I gasp, the thorns cutting into my skin. _Shit, that was too fast._ Hiei levels of fast, something I hadn't thought Kurama could manage. Goes to show what I know.

My first instinct is fire, of course. I flare up, but when my flames touch the rose vine, all I get is so much smoke I'm coughing my lungs out, which only makes the vines cut into me more. My palms are slicked with blood, but when I look up at Kurama, he remains uncannily expressionless. Taking a deep breath, I tune out the world around me, including the sudden shouting from the guys cheering me on.

What do I want to keep away this time? Plants? Smoke? Demonic power? _All three._ Slowly, very slowly, I pull my spirit energy from my core, letting it slide over me like a second skin, until I'm glowing a very pale orange. The pain fades away, as does the pressure of the vine, and I push outward. The rose whip dissolves into ash, and I lose control of the energy, gasping for air. Apparently, I'd been holding my breath without realizing.

Healing races over me, prickles along my skin until the only traces of injury lie in the blood that slicks my palms and my school uniform. "I think…you're paying…to get me a new uniform," I pant, shaking my head as I dash toward him.

"Noted," he says, raising his arms to guard against whatever he thinks I have planned. Rather than hitting him with my body, I summon a barrier and slam that into him, clearly taking him by surprise as he staggers back. I swing my fist, connecting with the side of his head and sending him skidding across the ground. When he recovers, it's to find a circle of fire on the ground around him, the flames several feet high.

He winces, and I watch carefully as he reaches into a pocket, pulling something out and casting it into the flames. There's a hissing sound, but that's it. I bring the ring of fire a little closer to him, wary. I know he's planning, and I don't like it, but this is the gambit I'm running. I have to stick to it and prepare to react to whatever he does next.

Kurama crouches down, and I lose sight of him over the flames. Taking a deep breath, I pull the flames even closer, trying not to worry about what he's doing where I can't see. Suddenly, a tree sprouts from the center of the flames, Kurama standing on a branch that he uses to jump out of the ring. I disburse the fire, bracing myself as he pulls a rose from his hair. Suddenly, the air is full of razor sharp rose petals that surround me.

"Shit," I hiss as the beautiful storm cuts into my skin. Lots of tiny pricks of pain, sometimes hitting the same spot twice, which makes me bite my lip hard to hold back any cries. _This sucks._ I raise another barrier around me, pressing the petal storm back. I'm so focused on what I'm doing that I fail to notice Kurama charging at me, slipping through the flowers and my barrier, which I'd made to keep roses out, not people.

"Check," he shouts as he proceeds to ram his shoulder into me, _hard_ , knocking me over. I hit the ground, already prepared to spring back to my feet, but when I look up, it's to find the space above me covered in vines. They spread like a net, covering the entire field, resting just above me, not quite touching my skin.

"Careful," Kurama says, his voice even. "If you touch or burn the vines, they will release a poisonous gas that will kill everyone here."

"Are you kidding me?" I hiss, glaring at him through the vines.

"No," he replies flatly.

"Asshole," I grunt, sighing. Even a barrier, which might protect me, would have to push on the plants, triggering the poison. I don't even know if he's bluffing, but I can't afford to test it. "Fine, I surrender."

The vines wither at my words, and I sit up, brushing off the dead plant matter. Kurama walks over to me, offering a hand up that I ignore. "You took advantage of the fact that I value my own life. Fifty years ago, I would have broken through that without hesitation."

"Know your opponent," he says, "and use that knowledge to your advantage."

"Whatever." I get to my feet, sighing as Genkai comes over to me.

"It's clear that you do well against opponents who specialize in brute force. However, you let him outsmart you."

"Let him?" I gasp, narrowing my eyes. "It's not my fault he outfoxed me."

"You were holding back," Genkai says. "If you have to fight Yusuke or Hiei, will you hold back then as well?" I open my mouth to speak, not sure what I even plan to say when she holds up a hand to stop me. "You also used techniques you've clearly not mastered or integrated into your fighting style. That's what we'll work on next."

"Seriously?" I groan.

"You've gotten much stronger," Kurama says, and I shoot him a glare. _When did I become such a sore loser?_ When I had to fight someone who tricked me into losing, apparently. "If you don't mind, Genkai, I'd like to take over her training."

"Be my guest," Genkai says. "I've already taught the bonehead everything she can learn from me."

"Tch." I turn and stalk away from the two of them, the others stepping out of my way as I pass by.

"You put up a good fight, Asaki!" Jin calls.

"Yes, well done," Touya adds.

"You'll beat him yet, sheila," Chu says.

"Thanks," I mutter, waving a hand over my shoulder as I press on, heading back to the temple. The fire I'd been feeling, the agitation at having to fight Kurama melts away when I see Yukina sitting on the front steps, feeding some birds.

"Hello, Asaki," she says, smiling at me. "Oh, dear, you look as though you've been fighting."

"Kurama decided he needed to put me down," I sigh, settling in beside her. She hands me some birdseed, and I manage to scare away a few of the animals when I try to feed them.

"Gently," she says, and I watch her closely as the birds hop on her hand or on the ground in front of her.

"Gently," I mutter, mimicking her. The first bird that hops into my palm startles me, and they scatter again. "I don't think I can do gentle," I grumble.

"Just try again," she says, smiling. "If you really want something, you shouldn't give in so easily."

I sigh but do as she tells me. This time, I don't startle any of the birds, just letting them eat in peace. It's the strangest feeling, having something so small and delicate resting in my hand. I could kill so easily…but taking care of them is so much harder. It's weird the way the world works, with death being simpler. And yet, we choose life, no matter how difficult it gets. It must be for this warm feeling in my chest as the birds cheep and hop around. This feeling of completeness and wholeness from providing something important to another creature.

We sit in silence, just feeding the birds, when another person joins us, sitting at my side. Kurama extends a hand, a few seeds in his palm, and the little creatures, after a hint of hesitation, eat from him as well. He makes it seem so easy, much like everything else.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," he says.

"It's fine," I reply. "I'm just a sore loser."

"Understandable since you've been winning so handily all summer."

"Don't make it sound like she's had it easy," Yukina rebukes, startling the both of us. "Asaki has worked very very hard to overcome lots of things!"

"My apologies," he says, pressing a hand lightly to his chest as he bows a little. "I hadn't meant to make it sound as such. I would never discount all the work she's put in."

"Good," Yukina quips, getting to her feet. "Asaki has done so much and come so far. I'm really proud of you," she says, smiling.

"I couldn't have done it without you," I tell her.

"You would have found a way," she replies, waving as she turns and walks into the shrine, leaving the two of us and a slew of content birds.

"The two of you seem much closer," Kurama says once she's gone.

"She's been a big help, keeping me sane around so many meatheads." I brush the remaining bird seed from my hands, watching the animals finish their meal.

"I'm sure," he says, nodding. "Genkai is going to continue training everyone full time. I want us here Tuesdays, Thursdays, and all day Sundays. Do you think you can manage that? I don't want your schoolwork to suffer."

"I could do that in my sleep," I reply. "But I…." _I really don't want to fight you._ I realize how childish that sounds. Genkai raised an entirely valid question that I don't want to have to ask myself: what will I do if I have to face Yusuke and Hiei? If it came down to their survival or mine, whose would I choose? "You're going to kick my ass every day, aren't you?" I ask, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my forehead on them.

"Most likely," he says. "But battling against a stronger opponent is the only way you will get stronger at your level. Asaki, I can tell you're much better than before I left. Part of it is from training, of course, but the rest is due to your diligence. Much like Yukina, I too am proud of you."

I grip my knees tighter, holding my breath to keep from saying something stupid as I feel my face flush. When the warmth his words bring has faded, I sit up, saying, "Thank you. It's been really hard, and I know it's going to keep being that way. I appreciate you giving me this chance to grow even stronger."

"You sound like an overly polite Yusuke," Kurama says, smiling.

"So, Kuwabara?" I ask, and he laughs.

"I see you're feeling better," Genkai says, walking toward us. "I was worried one bout with Kurama had scared you off."

"Not quite," I reply. "I'm working on my temper. It's easier to walk away when I'm angry than to act on it."

"Mature if not always practical." She holds out a hand, saying, "You still have the stone?"

Stone. "Oh, yes." I pull the stone that had throttled my demon half from my pocket, wincing at the splitting headache it gives me at my touch. Genkai takes it from my hand, and the pain is gone immediately.

"I see that you've managed to access your human powers in demon form," she says. "I expect you to keep honing those skills. I think they'll come in handy in the time to come."

"Of course."

"Did you find an answer to my question?"

"An answer," I reply. "I think there are probably quite a few, but the one I came up with is that demons and humans are two sides of the same coin. We're cut from the same cloth, but we've been treated differently or used for different purposes, changing what we are. But, we're still two parts of the same whole."

"That works," Genkai says. "It's flowery, but I expected nothing less from you."

"I had some help," I reply, and she nods.

"I figured as much. You're sharp, but you're too in your own head to think that metaphorically. It's important to remember that answer," she says, focusing her gaze on me. "Especially if the pieces in Spirit, Living, and Demon Worlds keep moving as they're doing."

"So many players," Kurama says, "but one game."

Silence falls at his words, and I sigh, digging my fingers into my braid. "Master, do you think I can bring them here?"

Genkai doesn't respond at first, and I wonder if she understands what I'm asking. After a few seconds, she says, "If you think it's a good idea."

"I do," I reply. "They admire you. You should have seen the looks on their faces when I mentioned you were training me."

"Fans, huh?" she grumbles. "Great, just what I need."

"Sorry," I say, getting to my feet. Kurama does as well, and I look from his confused expression to Genkai's neutral one. "I think it'll be a good experience for everyone." Stretching, I wince at the twinge in my side, gently touching some ripped fabric. "I don't think I can go back to town like this. I wonder if Yukina has something I can borrow." I wave absently to Genkai and Kurama as I head off to find Yukina. Neither of them call me back, for which I'm grateful. As we'd been talking, I found I'd known the answer to Genkai's question about my friends the entire time. If I had to choose between Yusuke and Hiei's lives and my own, I would choose their lives. Not for lack of love of my own but for love of theirs.

…

The train ride back home is pretty quiet at first, just Kurama, a few passengers, and me. Even when we get to the more populated areas, more people get off than get on. I'm pretty tired, so I just lean my head back, eyes closed, wishing Yukina had leant me something other than a yukata. We're not of a size, but apparently, she'd purchased this yukata, found it too big, and never had a chance to return it.

"So," Kurama says, making me open one eye to look at him. "I hear you went on a date with Chu."

"Oh, yeah," I reply, sitting up properly now, both eyes trained on the guy who's smiling a bit too pleasantly at my side. "Remember when Chu helped me out back at the Dark Tournament? This was the date I owed him."

"I see." Kurama nods, that fake smile still on his face. Is he mad at me? Why? It's not like it's any of his business who I go out with or why. We're not actually dating, as much as I might wish otherwise. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Surprisingly, yes. He was very kind and gentlemanly. He got me my favorite flowers and made me feel like I always imagined a person should on a date. Like I'm special and important. Easily the best date I've ever been on, not that that's a high bar."

"Hm. Any plans for future dates, then?"

I shake my head, saying, "Chu's nice, but it'd be like dating my brother, you know? Like dating Hiei." I make a face, and he lets out a breathy laugh. The smile on his face is genuine now, and I find myself relaxing. Whatever bee had stung him earlier appears to have disappeared.

"Like dating your brother," he says slowly, turning the full force of his green eyes on me. "Does that mean I'm not a romantic option?"

 _What? What?! WHAT?!_ My entire body burns bright red, and I hold up my hands, gesturing wildly as I say, "W-well, you're not _not_ an option. I-I mean, you're not actually my brother, s-so, I mean, I guess I-I—"

He taps a knuckle gently on my forehead, making me jump and silencing my word vomit. "Asaki, I'm teasing." Those words are like a sucker punch to the gut as are the ones that follow. "Besides, now's not the time to be thinking of romantic entanglements. Not with war on the horizon."

He's right, as usual. All it had taken was one stupid question from him, and I'd been gone, babbling like a fool when I should have been thinking about more important things like how the hell we're all going to survive this. Still, for one brief moment, I'd thought that maybe…he was going to confess.

That's the first time I've really entertained the notion that Kurama could actually have feelings for me. Where it once seemed like a distant daydream, now I can see it as a possibility. I clasp my hands together, staring down at them and making myself a promise: when we get through this and come out the other side, I'm going to tell him exactly how I feel. No more running.

"Asaki?"

"Hm?" I look up at Kurama as the train approaches our stop.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," I reply, getting to my feet and offering him a hand up. He takes it, as I say, "I just made a big decision, and I'm hoping I can stick to it."

"Dare I ask?" he says.

"If you want, but I won't tell you." I press a finger to my lips, saying, "It's a secret." Then, I lead the way off the train, Kurama not far behind. Once we leave the station and make it out onto the street, I stretch my arms high above my head, looking up at the darkening sky. It's got to be nearly seven now, and I still haven't eaten dinner.

"Hey, do you—"

"Would you care to—"

We both stop, smiles stretching across our faces that turn into laughter. "Hungry?" I ask him.

"A bit," he replies. "Shall we get something to eat?"

"Sounds good!"

* * *

A/N: Chastise me if you want to. Go ahead, but before you do, keep in mind Asaki's the only person making promises here. Not me. I'm sorry this took a little longer to come out, but I hope it was worth the wait. I personally enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you guys liked reading it. I only rewrote massive chunks of it like 3 times. Honest. Anyway, the pace is going to pick up from here, so I hope you guys can keep up! Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **MasqueradeStar11, Katsip12, bluerose921, firemadein789,** and **Sammie** for the reviews!


	65. A Long Summer

It's not exactly late, but there aren't a lot of people out and about as we head to grab something to eat. Therefore, when someone jostles me, no apology offered, I'm a little irked, but that's all. Apparently, someone else is much more so, and I gasp at the sight of Kurama, holding the man who'd bumped me by the throat, slamming him into the building beside us.

"Kurama!" I cry, staring in shock at the sudden vicious behavior. The man who'd bumped me is clawing at his throat, fear in his every gesture, his face turning red. When I put a hand on Kurama's shoulder, his head whips toward me, and I swear I see a flash of gold in his eyes. It's gone instantly, as is his grip on the other man who proceeds to run for his life.

"Kurama?" I whisper, letting my hand fall from his shoulder. "Are you—"

"Sorry," he says, pressing a hand to his forehead. "I don't know what came over me. Let's keep going." With the fakest smile I've ever seen, he keeps walking as though nothing had happened.

 _Something's wrong._ I'd had a feeling, ever since my human half had sensed his energy earlier, had felt it was almost hostile. It's possible he's always felt this way and I just haven't had the ability to sense him before, but I'm not so sure. I'm going to have to keep an eye on him, especially if he doesn't feel like spilling the beans himself.

When we stop to eat, Kurama sits across from me, smiling as he says, "So, what have you been up to while I was away?"

So, I tell him all about training at Genkai's with Chu and the others, shopping with Yukina, hanging out with Kuwabara and the rest of the guys, and my adventure with Mitarai. When I get to the part about Hata, Takumi, and Mayumi, he listens with rapt interest, nodding every once in a while to show he's listening.

"Your mother's family," he says when I've finally exhausted my tale. "If I believed in fate or coincidence, I would say this is one or the other."

"I've been here for over a year," I say, thanking the waiter who brings over a bowl of noodle salad for me and a tofu rice bowl for Kurama, "but this is the first time we've bumped into each other."

Silence falls between us, and Kurama looks away from me, making me wonder what he's thinking. When he does speak, he still won't meet my eyes as he says, "I don't think you should go see them alone anymore."

I blink in surprise, wondering at his dark tone. "What do you mean?"

"It isn't safe."

"Kurama, they're my family. I stayed a whole week with them, so if they really wanted to hurt me, they would have done it then."

"This Hata used to work for Raizen correct?" I nod, and he says, "How can you be sure he doesn't still and isn't planning to use you against Hiei and myself?"

"Why would he do that?" I ask, thoroughly perplexed. "Kurama, he's been nothing but kind to me, and I'm not exactly stupid. If I sensed any ill intent, I wouldn't be so trusting."

"You haven't exactly shown good judgment in the past," he remarks, his tone almost mocking.

"Excuse me?" I snap, balling my hands into fists. Fire sparks along my skin, and I just barely manage to keep from raising my voice as I swallow back the first emotion that wants to surface: rage. I'm not going to blow up on Kurama in the middle of a restaurant. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just stop seeing them," Kurama says, his tone making it clear he thinks this conversation is over. _Breathe. Just breathe. This isn't like him._

"Give me one good reason," I growl, crossing my arms.

He gets to his feet, finally turning his golden-eyed gaze on me, snarling, "Because you're _my_ —" And then he stops, gripping his head like he's in pain. "N-no," he growls, sinking back into his seat.

"Hey," I whisper, reaching out to him, my fingers wrapping around one of his wrists. The sheer amount of demonic energy pouring off of him almost makes me recoil, but I hang on, trying to calm him. "Kurama, it's okay." I slide my fingers into his, gently pulling his hand from his head. When he looks up at me a few seconds later, it's with those green eyes I love so much.

"S-sorry," he hisses, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Is it Yoko?" I ask, and he drops his gaze. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'm just…worried about you. And I'm here for you, even if you don't really need me."

"I always need you, Asaki," he whispers, squeezing my hand in his. He releases his head from the vise grip he'd had on it, sighing. "Even after all those terrible things I said to you, you still want to listen?"

"It's not like you didn't say anything that wasn't true," I reply. "Besides, I have a feeling that wasn't really you speaking. Even if that's what you actually think."

He makes a face, saying, "You're more than welcome to hit me if you'd like. I won't blame you."

"Depends on your reasoning," I reply, giving him what I hope is an encouraging smile.

He sighs, saying, "When did you get so mature?"

"Hey, now," I grumble, not really upset, "why does everyone keep asking me that?" Pulling my braid over my shoulder, I slide my fingers from Kurama's to fiddle with the end of my hair, my angry fire completely dissipating. "I've put in a lot of work this summer."

"I know," he says, smiling slightly. "So much that I barely recognize you."

I shrug, looking down at my hair. "A-anyway. Were you going to tell me?"

The smile falls from his face, and he balls his hands into fists, hiding them beneath the table. "Ever since going back to Demon World, I've been…struggling to keep Yoko in check. It's as though returning to places where his attitude, his way of dealing with life had been necessary brings him out in me. It's difficult to control sometimes."

"That's why you feel so hostile." _And why you almost killed a guy for bumping into me._ He raises an eyebrow, and I say, "What I mean is, I can sense your energy now, and it feels…aggressive?"

He sighs, saying, "I'm going to do what I can to keep my hold on this body and this state of being. I refuse to go back to those days."

"I get that," I reply, nodding my head. The last thing I want is to return to the woman I once was, back when Hide was in my life. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Just being here for me," he says slowly, like he's trying to make sure I understand him, "is already more help than someone like me deserves."

"Kurama," I say, my tone scolding. "I don't care about your past. I know it's a part of who you are, but it doesn't dictate your future. So, I'll be here with you as long as you need me, and I'll keep helping you shape the future you want to reach, okay?"

He doesn't say anything at first, just stares at me, and I feel my face begin to burn from embarrassment. "S-sorry, I kind of ran my mouth there."

"No, it's fine," he says, and now his face is red as he presses it into his hand. "That was just a really cool line."

"Cool?" I say, trying not to laugh. "Are you serious?"

He looks at me, grinning as he says, "It's something Yusuke would have said."

"You're such a jerk," I reply, tossing a bean sprout at him. We laugh, and the mood is suddenly much lighter. Taking a deep breath, I say, "By the way, I'm bringing my cousins to Genkai's tomorrow, so you can meet them and judge for yourself if they're actually a problem."

"Asaki, I didn't mean that I don't want you to see your family."

"I know that," I reply. "But, it's important to me that my friends like my family. Your mother's already met one of them." He stares at me, surprised, and I laugh again. "You missed a lot while you were gone."

"Apparently so."

We finish our food, pay, and head out into a warm summer evening. It's dark, and Kurama offers to walk me home, just like we used to do before this budding war in Demon World. Once we stop outside my apartment, Kurama turns to face me, a serious look on his face.

"All right," he says. "You can hit me now, if you want."

 _Hit him?_ This must be for earlier when Yoko had taken control of him. "All right," I tell him. "Brace yourself." He does just that, locking eyes with me. I swing, and he closes his eyes just as I gently bump his face with my fist. I trail a knuckle down his cheek as he stares at me. "I take back what I said earlier," I murmur, pulling my hand away and folding both hands behind my back.

"What do you mean?" he asks, his green eyes sparkling in the streetlights.

"You're wrong about my being a poor judge of people. After all, I found you, didn't I?"

It happens so fast I don't have time to react as he pulls me into his arms, crushing me against his chest. I open my mouth to speak, no clue what I think I'm going to say, when he whispers, "Thank you, Asaki."

My hands grasp the front of his shirt, seemingly of their own accord, and I swallow hard, tears suddenly in my eyes. "Dammit," I mumble. "I don't even know why I'm crying."

I feel him chuckle, his breath stirring the hair on the top of my head, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop the sudden rush of emotion from bowling me over. "It's been a long summer," he whispers. "I don't blame you."

"I missed you so damn much," I grumble, pulling away to look up into his face, which is also a huge mistake, as I suddenly have to fight the urge to...kiss him? I step back, quickly wiping my eyes and trying to shake the feeling, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I missed you too, Asaki," he says, apparently missing the moment when my entire world flipped upside down for a second. "It's good to be home."

"To stay, I hope," I reply, giving the best smile I can manage while praying my feelings aren't evident on my face. "It's late. Your mother is probably worried about you."

"You're right," he says, nodding. "Thank you for sharing your evening with me, Asaki."

"You too, Kurama." Waving, I say, "Good night," before heading into my apartment, locking the door, and launching myself onto my bed.

 _Kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss…._

What does it feel like to _want_ to kiss someone? Maybe I'd just imagined it. I mean, it's never happened before, and I've been in love with him for how long now? Is it okay that I felt that way? I've never once wanted to kiss someone before, not even when I thought I had real feelings for Hide. And why now, all of a sudden, is this new complication in my life?

I grab my stuffed fox, pulling him to my chest and burying my face in his fur. _Why can't things be simple for once in my life?_

...

Standing outside Takeda Shrine with Kurama is making me nervous, as I wait in human form for Hata to come. At this point, I'm pretty sure I can just enter on my own, but with Kurama at my side, I'm less certain. I don't want Takumi or Mayumi to try to exorcize him or something.

When Hata finally does appear, I almost sigh in relief, a smile spreading across my face. "Good afternoon, Miss Asaki," he says, bowing to me.

"Hey, Hata. How are you?"

"I am doing well," he replies, casting his gaze on Kurama, his eyes narrowing just a little.

"Hata, this is a friend of mine," I say quickly, hoping to stop any further disapproving thoughts from crossing Hata's face.

"Any friend of Miss Asaki is welcome here," he replies, his expression sliding toward neutral. Turning his gaze on me, he asks, "Are you here to see the young master and mistress?"

"I am. Are they home?"

"Asakiiiiiiii." And someone slams into me from the side, nearly knocking me over.

"Master Takumi is inside," Hata says, barely suppressing a chuckle as he adds, "and there is Mistress Mayumi."

"I _missed_ you!" Mayumi cries, hugging me sideways rather hard before letting go.

"It's only been a day," I reply, unable to stop the smile that slides across my face. Mayumi looks pretty cute in her grey sailor uniform, the white tie loose around her neck. "How was school?"

"Lame," she grumbles. "I didn't finish my summer homework, so now I've got even more piled up."

"Seems like a theme," I say, casting a look back at Kurama who shrugs. "If I'd known you weren't getting that done, we could have worked on it together."

"No way," she says, shaking her head. "It was much more fun training, don't you think?" She doesn't give me time to reply as she steps around me to get a good look at Kurama. After a second or two, she says, "I'm sorry, what are you?"

Which earns a snort from me and a disapproving glare aimed right at my head from the demon in question. "Sorry," I mumble, trying to hide my smile.

"I'm a demon," he says, surprising me with his forthrightness. He must have surmised from Hata's and my reactions that this was one of the people we were coming to meet and therefore, she would figure it out sooner or later.

"In a human body," Mayumi says, looking a bit agitated. "I don't quite…."

"It's a long story," Kurama states. The expression on his face says that line of inquiry is now as dead as anyone who continues to probe it, so she swallows and looks over at me.

"Mayumi Takeda, this is my friend, Shuichi Minamino, also known as Kurama. He's Shiori's son."

"Wait, the nice lady I met on Sunday?" Mayumi asks, eyes wide. When I nod, she stares in awe at Kurama, saying, "Your garden was amazing! Plants really love you, don't they?"

Kurama looks surprised, but he nods, saying, "I've been told I have a way with them. It's a pleasure to meet you, Takeda."

"Mayumi works just fine," she replies, grinning. "After all, you're a lot older than me, aren't you?"

"Just a touch," I offer, making Kurama sigh. "You're no fun today," I tell him, shaking my head and looking back at Mayumi. "Hey, so we're on our way to Master Genkai's. Do you think you and Takumi might want to come with us?"

" _The_ Master Genkai?" she gasps, clapping her hands together. "Yes! Absolutely, yes! Let's go bug Takumi!" She gestures for us to follow her, but I hesitate.

"Mayumi, you don't think the barrier will bother Kurama?"

She freezes, now on the other side of the _torii_ , and turns back to face us, squinting. "No, I think he'll be fine. He's stronger than anything this barrier was designed to keep out."

"I guess that's good news," I reply, stepping through myself. Turning back, I see Kurama frowning as he walks forward, pressing his hand against an invisible wall. After a second, he plunges his fingers through, shuddering slightly before striding inside.

"That's quite the barrier," he says, sounding impressed.

"Thanks," Mayumi offers in reply. "I've put a lot of effort into maintaining it, you know." She wags a finger at him before leading the way toward the main building. "So, you go to Meiou, Asaki?" she asks.

"Is this uniform really that identifiable?" I ask Kurama who nods.

"It is a fairly prestigious school for a public institution," he replies.

"It's not even on my radar," Mayumi grumbles. "I don't think I'm smart enough for that."

"Anyone can get good test scores if they study," I say. "It's always worth a shot."

"If I even go to high school," she adds as the sound of grunting reaches our ears. "Sounds like Takumi's practicing again."

"Is he ever not?" I ask, making a face. "How he escapes having nothing but arm muscles confounds me."

"You know it's a full body workout," Mayumi says, shaking her head. "And after sparring with him, I'm rattling for hours."

"Seriously." We step into the courtyard to find Takumi setting up the practice dummies he's knocked down, shirtless and covered in sweat. He brushes his hair back out of his eyes as we approach, a frown dragging at his mouth.

"Takumi!" Mayumi cries, racing over to him. "You'll never guess where Asaki wants to take us!"

"To the zoo," he deadpans, eyeing Kurama with obvious mistrust.

"Basically," I reply. "Wanna go? I know a few wild animals who wouldn't mind a swipe at you."

"As riveting as that sounds," he says, not taking his eyes from Kurama, "I think I have better ways to spend an afternoon. Who's your friend?"

I do the introductions as Takumi wipes his face with the towel Hata offers him. "Hata, you let the strangest people in here," Takumi says.

"Apologies, Master Takumi. He is known to me aside from being a friend of Miss Asaki."

"Your reputation precedes you," I say to Kurama, elbowing him softly.

"Of that I'm well aware," he whispers, his voice disconcertingly low. I figured this wouldn't go well, considering my own reception from Takumi, but I don't want to have to step in if things go south.

"Takumi, Asaki wants to take us to meet Genkai!" Mayumi says, picking up a spare _bo_ and standing across from her brother. "Doesn't that sound awesome?"

The sour expression on Takumi's face turns to one of surprise and then suspicion. "Why would you want to do that?" he asks me, squaring off with Mayumi. "First hit," he says, and they spring into action, wooden staves connecting with a resounding _thwack!_

"Because I'm a nice person?" I ask. "You sounded interested last week."

"He still is," Mayumi says, barely avoiding being hit on the head. "He's just too proud to admit it."

"And you're too chatty," he says, smacking her in the side.

"Dang it, Takumi," she whines, dropping her weapon. "Just say we can go already."

"Whatever," he grumbles, tossing his _bo_ to the ground. "Asaki, a word?"

"Sure," I say.

"Hey, Shuichi Kurama," Mayumi says, and I have to hold back a laugh at that manner of address. "Come see my herb garden!" She gestures for him to follow her, and I shake my head, wishing I was half as confident as she is when it comes to that guy. Kurama gives me a curious look before heading after her.

"He's not going to hurt her, is he?" Takumi asks, his gaze boring holes in Kurama's back.

"Never," I reply. "Kurama doesn't do anything without cause, and he would never hurt someone who didn't wrong him first. Even then, it's kind of hit or miss."

Takumi lets out a hefty sigh, saying, "Mayumi is far too trusting, so it falls to me to keep her safe. I worry. A lot."

"I can tell," I reply, earning an exasperated look. "Takumi, I wouldn't bring someone here that would hurt you guys. You're family. Right?"

"Right," he says, raking a hand through his hair and making it stand on end. "I'm going to shower. After that…we'll come with you."

"Yes!" I cheer, grinning hugely. "Thank you, Takumi!"

"Whatever," he replies, waving a hand at me and walking away toward the house. I watch him go, that smile fading from my face as I pick up the _bo_ Takumi had been using. _He works so hard to keep his family safe._ In some ways, he reminds me of Kurama.

"Master Takumi is warming up to you," Hata says, and I jump, having forgotten he was still here. He's so quiet, probably from centuries of disguising his presence.

"Is that warm?" I ask, shaking my head. "He's like a prickly hedgehog."

"Even hedgehogs can make good pets if handled well," Hata says, holding out his hand for the staff I'm still holding.

"I don't want a pet," I mutter, passing off the weapon. "Just a friend."

"Don't give up," Hata says as he begins to tidy up the practice space, starting one dummy at a time. _Just like most of my friendships_. I find myself smiling as I head to the herb garden, pleasantly surprised to find Kurama and Mayumi deep in discussion about something. When Kurama laughs at something she says, I start to wonder if maybe this is going to work out after all.

…

The train ride to Genkai's certainly tries to prove me wrong as Takumi sits in steely silence, dragging the mood of the entire group down. After trying to strike up a conversation with him and failing miserably several times, I give up. Even Mayumi can't get him to offer more than a few words, which results in her idea that we play _shiritori_.

"Car," she starts.

"Rib," is my offer.

"Bead," Kurama says.

"Demon," Takumi grumbles, which effectively kills that round. Words that end in "n" are automatic losses.

After giving it another try and Takumi managing to ruin the game again, we give up, instead staring out the windows. When we finally reach our stop, I'm happy to be out in the open air after the chill from the train car.

"Kurama, what are the odds you'll go easy on me today?" I ask him, stretching my hands behind my back as I look over my shoulder at him.

"Nonexistent," he replies with a look that sends a chill down my spine.

"You're remarkably unkind."

"Not pushing you to your limits would be the greatest unkindness," Kurama says, and I sigh, hating that he's right, as usual.

"All right, come on," I say, leading the way through the forest path and up the stairs to the temple grounds. Mayumi stays pretty close to Takumi as we walk, and I can only assume it's because she can sense the sheer number of demons around. The forest here is swimming with lower-level demons, and Genkai's actual compound has a handful of strong ones, after all.

Once we reach the top of the steps, we're greeted by Chu flying toward us, having been hit by Suzuki. We all move out of the way except for Mayumi who is too surprised to react in time. Takumi and I try to reach her, but before we can, a flash of red and a gust of wind beat us to it, lifting her out of harm's way and up into the air.

"Jin," I breathe, relieved as he sinks back to the ground, setting Mayumi on her feet.

"All right, Mayumi?" Jin asks her, a serious look on his face. "Didn't scare ya too much, did I?"

"N-no," she stammers, shaking her head, her face as red as his hair.

"Glad to hear it," he says, suddenly smiling. "It's fair dangerous 'round here for normal human types, you know."

"R-right," she says. "Well, I'm not exactly a normal human." Is it bad that I want to congratulate her on a full sentence? She's so smitten, and I can't say I disapprove. Takumi, however, looks livid, and I sigh.

"Oi, don't anyone care about me?" Chu asks, staggering up the stairs, glassy-eyed and bleeding from his head.

"Oh my gosh!" Mayumi cries, putting her hands to her mouth in shock. "He needs a doctor."

"He needs his head examined," Suzuki says, waving a dismissive hand. "He's fine."

"More or less," I reply, stepping toward Chu and resting a hand on his chest, sending healing energy into him. "How's that?" I ask.

"Perfect, as usual, sheila," he says, taking my hand in both of his and squeezing gently. For some reason, I can feel a blush creep up my neck. When Kurama clears his throat, I jump, sliding my hand from Chu's grip.

"What new circus is on my doorstep now?" a cranky old voice asks, and I turn from the big demon in front of me to see Genkai making her way toward us, Yukina right behind her.

"At least three rings," I offer, holding up three fingers.

"You can leave," she tells me, looking over the group gathered around me. "I think most of you have better things to do than gawking. I could be wrong." Suddenly, Chu, Suzuki, and Jin are right back to sparring with a wave in my general direction. Genkai sighs, gesturing for us to follow her into the temple.

We reach the kitchen, where the perfect number of teacups are waiting, the tea still hot, which means that somehow Genkai had predicted roughly when we would arrive. She never ceases to impress. Yukina sets out a few plates of snacks, and I shoot her a grateful look before she leaves the room with a faint smile.

"Relax, you two," Genkai says, and I realize she's talking to Takumi and Mayumi who look like they're on pins and needles as they grip their teacups. "No one here will hurt you. At least, not on purpose."

"Comforting," Takumi says through gritted teeth.

Genkai raises an eyebrow at him before saying, "You must be the Takedas who've taught Asaki so much. You have my thanks. She's a handful to train, even on her best days."

"Gee, thanks," I reply, shaking my head as I sip my tea.

"She was great to have around," Mayumi manages to say, swallowing some of her nerves with her own swig of tea. "Um, my name is Mayumi. It's an honor to meet you, ma'am."

"Just Genkai is fine," she says, turning her gaze on Takumi. "And what about you? Too old for manners?"

Takumi blanches, swallowing hard before saying, "My apologies. My name is Takumi. It really is an honor."

"For a family that once specialized in ridding Living World of malicious demons, you seem pretty afraid of them," Genkai says.

"Mayumi is still in training," Takumi replies, looking like he's searching for a few shreds of confidence. "However, she could entrap any demon here if she so chose."

"Takumi!" Mayumi squeaks, looking horrified.

"Care to test that?" Genkai asks, a wry smile sliding across her face. "I'd like to see the Takeda Family's famous techniques in action."

"Really," Mayumi pleads, "that isn't necessary. I'm not very good, and I—"

"We accept," Takumi says, and Mayumi promptly drops her head to the table, groaning.

"Meet me outside when you've finished your tea, then," Genkai says, getting to her feet and leaving us alone.

"Takumi, you absolute jerk," Mayumi mumbles into the tablecloth.

"Sorry," he grunts, his hands balled into fists. "I just don't like her tone. I wanted…I want to prove to her that we're not afraid. Just…inexperienced."

"It'll be okay," I tell her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Genkai's kind of rough and takes some warming up to, but I think she'll admire your effort, even if you don't succeed."

"I will, though," she says, looking up at me. "I can't afford not to."

"Family pride," Kurama says, and I frown at his words. "The Takedas are famous for their exceptional spiritual powers. After the words Takumi said on his sister's behalf, they have to succeed."

Mayumi chugs down the rest of her tea, scalding her tongue before she gets to her feet, saying, "Okay, here goes."

"We'll be right behind you," I say. "I'll even beat up Takumi for you if you want."

"Hey!" he cries, looking indignant.

"It's fine," she says. "I can do this." Something she tells herself until we step outside to find Jin sitting cross-legged in the air waiting for us with Genkai off to one side. Chu, Suzuki, and Touya are here to watch as well, and I wonder if that isn't just because Jin was Touya's sparring partner for the day and this was where the other pair was training.

"You've got two minutes," Genkai tells Mayumi as she approaches the older woman. "You're to trap Jin and prevent him from escaping."

 _Why Jin?_ I wonder, frowning. Two options: either she saw the way he flustered Mayumi earlier and she's taking advantage of that or she knows how much of a challenge it would be to trap the wind master. Maybe even both.

Mayumi doesn't argue with the crazy short time she's given or the challenge ahead of her. Instead, she swallows hard, nodding her head. "I'm ready."

"Best of luck to you," Jin tells her, smiling. She doesn't respond, just grimaces, and I wonder if she isn't trying to smile and failing.

"Start."

The wind Jin kicks up is no joke, and I raise my hand to put up a barrier when the smell of earth surrounds us. Takumi crosses his arms, his eyes trained intently on Mayumi, but I can see his dark green energy just above his skin. The barrier he's created keeps the wind from reaching us, and I'll have to remember to thank him later.

Mayumi reaches into her pocket as the first gust of wind hits her hard, knocking her over. She grimaces, getting to her feet and brushing herself off as she throws something into the air. I can't see what it is, but she must know it's only going to get blown away. Jin isn't attacking, for which I'm grateful, but the gale he's summoned around himself looks impenetrable. Mayumi's in trouble if she can't get to him.

She mutters something under her breath, reaching in her pocket again. I can smell tatami, mingling with Takumi's earthy smell, but when Mayumi goes to throw once more, whatever she's trying to do just gets blown away once more. She grimaces, and I realize what it is she's attempting: purifying salt. Even with her energy added into the mix, she can't get it to stay on the ground, and I wonder what she's going to try next.

When she reaches into her pocket again, I wince, wondering if she's really going to try the salt again. Instead, Kurama has to throw his arm in front of me, holding me back as I involuntarily step forward, startled to see Mayumi start walking toward the mass of wind Jin is controlling. Kurama and I lock eyes, and he shakes his head, the look on his face grounding me. I take a deep breath, relaxing at his side.

Mayumi keeps pressing forward, her hair whipping around her face. Kurama's hand finds mine the first time a blade of wind leaves a little cut on her face. The second time, he squeezes tightly, and I squeeze back, swallowing hard. _Come on, Mayumi. You can do this._

Suddenly, the air is filled with the smell of tatami, and the air parts around her as she dashes forward, throwing a piece of paper at Jin. He blinks in surprise as the talisman sticks to him, the gale dying instantly. Mayumi stands facing him, panting heavily, green wisps flying off of her as the two of them stare at each other.

"Time's up," Genkai says.

Jin frowns, trying to remove the talisman, but when his hand touches it, he winces. "That smarts a bit, it does," he says, raises both of his hands out in front of him. They hit an invisible wall that shimmers a little. He presses against it, but it doesn't budge. After testing all around him, he grins. "Congratulations, Mayumi," he says. "I think you've got me."

"Thank goodness," she breathes, falling to her knees. Takumi and I both race over to her, her brother hugging her tightly as I crouch down at her side.

"Dammit, Mayumi, don't scare me like that," he growls, and she chuckles weakly.

"Don't run your mouth next time," she tells him as he releases her.

"Here," I say, gently pushing him aside and putting my hands on Mayumi's face. The scrapes she's attained heal in seconds, and I sigh, resting my forehead on her shoulder. "You're too cool," I mumble, and she snorts at that.

"Well done, Mayumi Takeda," Genkai says, making me draw away from my cousin. Genkai offers her a hand, a smile on the old woman's face. "I had a feeling you would succeed."

"Thanks," Mayumi says, letting Genkai help her to her feet. She leans on Takumi for a moment before looking over at Jin, her eyes wide. "Oh, here, let me get that." Walking over to him, she steps through the barrier like it's not even there, pulling the talisman from his chest. It dissolves into thin air, and the barrier disappears, along with the smell of tatami. When her legs give out beneath her, Jin catches her easily.

"That's some handy work you do there," he tells her, and she nods. I'm impressed she isn't as red as a tomato, considering Jin's hands are on her shoulders, holding her up, but she must be too exhausted to care. I wonder how many times she's actually gotten to practice trapping a real life demon, let alone one as strong as Jin.

"Mayumi, Takumi, come with me. I want to show you both something," Genkai says, gesturing for the two of them to follow her. Mayumi gives me a worried frown as Takumi takes her from Jin, shooting the demon an irritated look that is met with a bright smile.

"I'll see you later," I tell them, brushing some dirt from my knees as I get to my feet. The three of them disappear into the temple, and I sigh, wondering what Genkai wants now.

"Your cousin sure is something, she is," Jin says, grinning at me. "She'll make a formidable foe once she gets that technique mastered."

"As if," Suzuki says, waving a hand dismissively. "You know you let her win."

"He may not have attacked her," Touya states, his expression serious, "but that wind wall he created was full force. The fact that she broke through it like she did shows she has great potential."

"Speaking of potential," Kurama says, making us all jump. "Eight months. Do you think you'll be ready if you continue to discuss the merits of others instead of training?"

The grumbles that follow his words are nothing compared to the groan I emit, turning to face him. He looks unamused at my tone, so I change forms before he finds more reason to reprimand me. "All right, all right. Let's get this over with."

…

It's dark by the time he's done beating the shit out of me. There's no other way to describe the absolutely one-sided assault, as though I wasn't even trying. It's infuriating just how helpless he makes me feel…just like when I used to fight Hide. Unlike back then, however, I let my anger simmer on the surface, ignoring the hand he offers to help me up and the water bottle he attempts to pass my way. Instead, I stalk back to the temple, changing into human form to meet my cousins, who're both looking a little awestruck.

"How'd it go?" I ask them, trying to shake the dark cloud hovering over my head. _Eight more months of this._ I wanted this, didn't I? A chance to get stronger? That doesn't mean I have to be happy with my current tormentor.

"She's so amazing!" Mayumi cries, throwing her hands in the air as if her gesture could demonstrate the sheer level of awesome that is Master Genkai.

"She's everything I imagined she would be," Takumi adds, shaking his head, the reverent expression that's pasted on his face kind of unnerving in comparison to his usual scowl.

"I'm glad you got so much out of this," I tell them, trying to smile and falling short.

"Are you okay?" Mayumi asks, frowning. "You look awful."

"I just spent the past three hours getting beaten up by Kurama," I say, jabbing a thumb at the demon behind me. "Not a pleasant experience."

"We're training," Kurama says.

"Feels more like abuse," I retort.

"I won't dignify that with a proper reply," he says, crossing his arms. "The pain you feel from me will be worth it in the end."

 _Pain._ I had a feeling he knew I could actually feel pain again, despite how hard I tried to hide it just now. Even as I stand here, my body is screaming from the wounds I've healed. It's been like this since the summer started, but at least back then, I stood a chance against the others.

"That sounds way intense," Mayumi says, extending both of her hands to me, palms up. It takes me a second to realize what she wants, but when I do, I frown, hesitating just a beat longer before I place my hands in hers. She squeezes softly, and suddenly I can smell tatami again as my anger cools, slowly but surely, until nothing remains.

"What…?"

"Emotion dissipation," Mayumi says, smiling gently, still holding my hands. "You've got a long road ahead of you, I can tell. And you don't want to be angry, either. It's just the first emotion you can think of to address the struggles you're facing."

"You're too good at this," I tell her, shaking my head as I slide my hands from hers, almost wishing for the heat of my anger again. I hate how right she is. "Next time you've got a revelation like that about me, maybe we can keep it between the two of us. It's kind of embarrassing to hear my weaknesses like that in front of others."

She blinks in surprise, her cheeks tinging pink. "S-sorry, Asa. I won't do it again."

 _Asa?_ "It's fine. Anyway, it's late. We should head back home."

"Right," she says, nodding her head before, much to my surprise, she links arms with Kurama, leading the way. I stare in surprise before Takumi steps up to my side, sighing.

"She'll leave us behind," he says, gesturing for us to get moving. I rake a hand through my hair, all but groaning in irritation at how confusing and frustrating this day has been. As we walk, just out of earshot of the other two, Takumi asks, "So, what is that guy to you?"

"What?" His question catches me off guard, and I almost miss a step.

"Kurama…you said he was a close friend earlier, and, he's training you for something big. He looks at you like…it's hard to describe. Like you're a shiny object and he's a crow swooping in."

I shrug, saying, "I don't know about all that. He really is just a good friend right now. He's saved my life, helped me out of a lot of tough, dark spots, and given me a reason to want to keep living. In return, I think I do some of the same for him."

"Do you like him?"

I swallow hard, the tips of my ears burning as I say, "I do."

"I wonder if he feels that same emotion," Takumi mutters, sounding like he's talking to himself. "For some reason, the vibe he gives me is a little darker than that. More intense."

"You've seen him for all of a day," I reply, not convinced of this assessment. "I'm not sure what you think you're sensing, but how accurate could that be?"

His dark, dark eyes turn on me, and he says, "I figured you out in that first day."

"What?"

"I knew you were earnest, stubborn, and had a short fuse. I also knew you were kind, loyal, and…trapped. Just like me and Mayumi." Before I have time to comment, he continues. "Asaki, just be careful. If a relationship is what you seek with him, make sure he wants the same and for the right reasons. I don't want to have to kick his ass if it comes down to that."

The idea of Takumi beating Kurama in a fight would have seemed more laughable if not for the expression on Takumi's face. I don't know that I've ever seen him look so serious, not even when we first met and he tried to kick me out. In that moment, I believe him. He really will hurt Kurama if he does something that warrants it.

"Thank you, Takumi," I say, nodding. "I promise I'll be careful."

"That's all I ask," he replies, splaying his hands in front of him, palms up to the sky. I wonder what that gesture means. It almost looks like he's catching imaginary raindrops in his hands.

* * *

A/N: Thwack is one of my favorite onomatopoeias. It's in here, I promise I'm not just making this up. Also, I'm sorry I'm a biiiit late. Weeks sure do fly by when school is in session. I hope this chapter had enough KuramaxAsaki fluff to tide everyone over. No, I'm not going through the entire eight months, chapter by chapter, in case anyone is worried about how much longer the slow burn will be. The pace is going to pick up really quickly.

Thanks for reading, guys, and a special thanks to **Katsip12, MasqueradeStar11, bluerose921, Sammie,** and **Lestatsgirl15** for the reviews!


	66. Plan B?

**Trigger Warning: So, just a heads up, there's a rather violent, kind of gory scene in this chapter. I don't think it's too bad, but just in case, here's a warning.**

* * *

Mayumi's emotion dissipation was great for Tuesday. However, nothing saves Kurama or me from the frustration of being a punching bag on Thursday. We don't say a word to each other on the ride back on the train, but Friday we're back to normal, for the most part, as we pass each other in the halls. I'm looking forward to getting to relax on Saturday, so when I see Kurama walking with Kuwabara toward the diner where we'll all be getting lunch, I have to resist the urge to groan.

"Hey, Asaki," Kuwabara says, waving to me. "You look tired."

"I'm fine," I say, my tone a little less pleasant than I wanted it to be.

"I can leave," Kurama says, but I grab his shirtsleeve.

"Like hell you can," I reply, dragging him in behind me. "It's fine. I'm not mad or anything."

"I find that difficult to believe with you tugging at me like this."

"Sorry." I drop his sleeve, dropping into a seat, Kuwabara looking confused as he reaches the table. "I'll get used to this, I swear."

"Used to what?" Kuwabara asks as Kurama sits next to me and Kuwabara sits next to him.

"Training."

"With me," Kurama adds to Kuwabara's puzzled look. "She's not handling it nearly as well as you did."

"You just keep looking for ways of making me feel worse, don't you?" I snap just as Yana, Mitarai, Kido, and Kaito arrive.

"That's not my intention," Kurama says, his voice low, but I don't respond, letting the conversation drop as the guys all greet Kurama.

"Good to see you again, man," Yana says. "It's been forever, you know?"

"Approximately," Kaito quips, making me roll my eyes.

"How have you been, Asaki?" Mitarai asks.

"I'm all right," I tell him. "A little tired, but it's fine."

He frowns, but he doesn't push the issue, instead telling me about his first week back at school. I listen intently, laughing at some of the stories and grimacing at others. Time flies by pretty quickly as we all swap harrowing tales of our high school lives, so by the time I have to leave to meet Shiori for dress fittings, I really wish I didn't have to go.

Much to my surprise, however, Mitarai follows me out. "What's up, Kiyoshi?" I ask him, using his first name. He looks kind of nervous, but I can't imagine why.

"I need to talk to you," he says. "If that's okay?"

"Sure," I say, just as Kurama steps out of the diner behind Mitarai.

"I thought I would walk with you," Kurama says. "Since you're going to meet my mother after all."

"It's fine," I tell Kurama, shrugging. "Kiyoshi wants to talk to me, so I'll catch you later."

"What he has to say will not prevent me from walking with you," Kurama replies, narrowing his eyes at Mitarai.

"I don't want to be rude," Mitarai says, "but I need to talk to Asaki in private."

It's not often I see Kurama angry, but the expression on his face right now is pretty close to it. I don't know if this is Yoko peeking out or what, but it needs to stop. "Hey," I tell him, taking a step forward. "It's fine, Kurama. I'm not mad at you anymore, and I really will see you later, okay?"

He grabs my hand, his lovely green eyes dark as they bore into mine. After a second, he blinks, and looks away. "I'll see you later," he whispers, walking past us without another glance.

 _He's fighting so hard, and here I've been pretty awful to him_. Between my own messed up emotions and his, I don't know where to even begin to return to where we were before he left. Our relationship keeps changing in ways I'm not prepared for, and I don't know how to fix it. I just want Kurama back. I wonder if he thinks the same way.

"Sorry, Kiyoshi," I say, looking over at him. He looks a little shaken, so I repeat his name, making him jump. "You okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, my bad," he manages, sighing. "I was second-guessing myself. Kurama's kind of…intense."

There's that word again. Intense. Takumi had said the same thing on Tuesday, but he hadn't clarified, and neither will Mitarai.

"Anyway, what did you want to talk about?" I ask as we start walking.

"Oh, yeah. Um." He falls silent for a moment, the quiet stretching between us. "Asaki, um…." He stops, turning to face me. "I really like you!" he shouts, making a few heads turn. My face is burning, but his is even worse as he says, "S-sorry. I didn't mean to yell that."

"I-it's okay," I reply, waving my hands in the air like I can clear the embarrassment just like that.

"Anyway. I was wondering if maybe…you would go out with me."

Mitarai…Kiyoshi, liking me? Wanting to go out with me? I'm not sure what universe this is, but I really wish it would stop playing tricks on me like this. This is ten times worse than Eiki's confession. I like Mitarai. He's funny and sweet, exactly the kind of person I think I would really enjoy being in a relationship with. I know he would treat me well, would make me laugh and smile, and wouldn't care about my half and half nature.

But…I don't have any feelings for him past that of a good friend. There's too much of myself in him, even in his growth into a stronger person. Besides, he deserves better. He deserves someone who will share his lifespan, at the very least. _Are you saying Kurama doesn't deserve better?_ No, no I'm not. But Mitarai doesn't know the half of what he'd be getting into with me. Kurama knows the whole story, and he's still here. I don't want to put Mitarai through that too. I'll save him the pain.

"I'm really sorry, Kiyoshi," I say, shaking my head. "I like being friends with you, but I don't feel for you like that."

"It's Kurama, isn't it?" I blink, surprised, and he laughs, running a hand over his face. "I mean, I knew I didn't stand a chance against him, but I thought it was worth a shot."

"Kiyoshi," I murmur, but he shakes his head sharply.

"If he hadn't been here, do you think I might have stood a chance?"

"I don't know," I reply. "If Kurama hadn't been in my life, we never would have met."

He inhales sharply, a forced smile on his face. "Right. You're totally right. Um, anyway, that's all I wanted to say. I hope you have a good night. I'll see you next weekend."

"Right. Kiyoshi…I really am sorry."

He gives me a half-hearted wave, turning and walking away. My heart grows heavy as I watch him go. It breaks in two when, a few minutes later, it starts to rain.

…

I'm so close to crying, even though I'd sworn I wouldn't. The only thing more beautiful than the wedding venue is Shiori in her dress, walking down the aisle with Kurama at her side. I'd thought the idea of him giving her away was pretty cute, and it made me wonder what I would do at my own wedding. My father certainly wouldn't do that for me. Actually, I'd be amazed if he even showed up.

Standing with the other bridesmaids, I can't tear my eyes from Shiori in her beautiful dress. It's long and poofy in all the right places, making her look absolutely stunning. Judging by the awestruck look on Kazuya's face, I'm not the only one who thinks that way. As she walks down the aisle of the church, I stand with the other bridesmaids, trying very hard not to cry.

I can see Kurama from where I am, but I do what I can to avoid eye contact because I know full well that I won't be able to hide my blush because I am checking him out pretty shamelessly. I've been around men in suits my entire life, so I've never found them all that impressive. However, Kurama looks amazing, the jacket fitting him perfectly, accenting his strong shoulders, the pants making his legs look long and slim. He catches me looking at him once, and he smiles, so I return the look, my face every bit as red as I'd feared it would be.

The reception is beautiful, and I stand off to one side, watching everyone mingle. Shiori and Kazuya execute the perfect first dance, and when Kuwabara finds me partway through, he's got this moony look in his eyes.

"You and Yukina some day?" I ask him.

"Geez, don't embarrass me like that," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. I swear, he's practically got hearts in his eyes. "What about you? Think you'll dance like that too?"

"I don't know," I reply, shaking my head. "That would mean someone would have to be brave enough to face down my father and ask for my hand."

"Wait, you need your father's permission?"

"No," I say, smiling at his confusion. "They have to ask him so I can make sure he doesn't approve before I say yes."

"Pfft." He covers his mouth as he laughs, and I grin impishly. "Well, I think you'll find him, Asaki. Your dad thinks he's all tough, but I bet I could beat him in a fight."

"It's not about the fight," I reply. "You haven't seen his ultimate move yet."

"Ultimate move?"

"Yep. Taro Anno's patented Stony Gaze makes even the hardiest of men turn tail and run."

Kuwabara makes a face just as Kurama makes his way over to us. "Dare I ask what causes that expression?" Kurama asks him.

"We're talking about Asaki's dad," Kuwabara replies.

"Fair enough," Kurama says.

"Well, I'm going to go get some snacks," he says. "You guys want anything?"

We both pass, and he leaves for the tables covered in hors d'oeuvres and drinks. Meanwhile, I watch as Shiori and Kazuya mingle with guests, even as others take to dancing. The music is soft, the mood is warm and friendly, and I find myself smiling where I haven't had much reason to in a while.

Kurama and I have been training consistently for a month, and things aren't getting any better for me. He still beats me what feels like effortlessly, and I still get mad at him when it's over. I think I've been doing a better job of not letting it show, but it's difficult. Kurama's been nothing but patient with me, and I wish I had the words to express how grateful I am instead of being a petulant brat.

A song comes on, one that sounds vaguely familiar to me. It's a waltz, and as the melody starts, I realize I do know this one. It's one of my favorites. Kurama moves at my side, and I feel my face get warm as he extends a hand to me without a word, a silent invitation to dance. I don't even hesitate, sliding my fingers over his palm, letting him lead me. When he places his hand on the small of my back, I let my own hand rest on his shoulder, looking up into those sweet green eyes.

The music picks up, and we fall perfectly in step, as though we've been dancing together for years instead of this being the very first time. His hands are warm where they're touching me, and I just want to be closer. What I wouldn't have given for an excuse to be so, even as the relatively short waltz changes, becomes slower. This must be an arrangement because the original is actually pretty fast. As the notes drag, so too do our movements. That's why, when I suddenly stumble, falling against Kurama, I'm surprised. What could I have tripped over?

I think to right myself, but Kurama adjusts his hands so they're both on my lower back, keeping me close. I know my face must be burning red, but if he doesn't mind it…neither do I, really. I rest my head against his chest, listening to his heart beat as we move, slowly, very slowly, back and forth. The music swells around us, but all I can hear is his heart, all I can feel are the places we touch. When the song ends, we stay like that a few moments longer before I realize we suddenly don't have a good reason to be that close anymore.

I pull away, looking down at my feet as I say, "I'm sorry I've been so awful to you lately."

"It's all right," he says, his voice so soft I almost can't hear it. "I haven't exactly given you much reason to be otherwise."

I wince at that, and we make our way off the dance floor, over to where Kuwabara is standing, a glass of punch in his hand. "Still, that doesn't make it okay. I'm just…dealing with some things. I swear I'll work on it."

"This will all be over soon enough," he says, shaking his head. "And then maybe we can return to some semblance of normal."

"Whatever that means."

When Shiori throws the bouquet later, one of her bridesmaids catches it, something Kurama explains to me means that woman will be the next to marry. It's a Western wedding tradition, but I can see why it's caught on, judging by the look on that bridesmaid's face.

"I think I'd rather decide that fate for myself, personally, but it's cute," I tell him.

"I almost want to catch it," Kuwabara mutters.

"Hey, you might want to ask her out first," I tease, making him sputter, his face turning pink.

"That's a struggle in its own right," Kurama says as Shiori waves to us. She comes over, and all conversation of asking people out and getting married ends as she pulls Kurama, and then me, and then Kuwabara into huge hugs.

"Congratulations," I tell her as Kazuya comes to join us. Kurama and Kuwabara offer similar sentiments.

"Thank you," she says, beaming like the sun itself. "And thank you again, Shuichi for our honeymoon." Apparently, Kurama had paid for them to fly somewhere for a while so they could get the most out of their time together as newlyweds. I don't even want to imagine how much money an old demon like Kurama must have stashed away somewhere.

"Anything for you, Mother, Father," he says.

"You're such a good son," Kazuya says, smiling warmly. Kokoda walks over to us too, and his father ruffles his hair. "You too."

" _Dad!_ " Kokoda cries, embarrassed as the rest of us laugh. Kurama had made short work of the parasite demon that had latched onto his younger brother, much as I'd thought he would, convincing the nasty thing to spy on his behalf instead. It's good to see this happy, smiling Kokoda free of anything Demon World related. As long as Kurama continues to do as expected by King Yomi, it'll stay that way.

"Anyway, we leave tonight, so no wild parties while we're away," Shiori teasingly tells her son.

"Or girls overnight," Kazuya adds.

This time, both Kurama and Kokoda blush as they cry "Dad!" and "Father!" respectively.

Kuwabara and I laugh as another guest pulls the newlyweds away. "I'm so happy for them," I whisper, smiling as I watch them leave. "If anyone deserves this much happiness, it's the two of them."

"I have to agree," Kurama replies, Kuwabara nodding his assent. "I hope they have many more years of happiness together."

"They will," I tell him. "We're going to make sure of it."

…

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays I train with Kurama. Mondays and Wednesdays, I go to the shrine to train with Mayumi and Takumi. Mayumi is pretty convinced that if I can't beat Kurama on his own terms, demon to demon, maybe I can beat him human to demon. So, we barrier and we barrier and we barrier, non-stop. Sometimes, Hata lets us practice on him, even though, muting his power as he does, it's not nearly as difficult as trapping a fully powered demon.

It's mid-October, with five months of training left before we have to leave for Demon World. The air is cooler, but for the first time I can remember, I'm not dreading the impending cold. I have Yukina to thank for that.

On a Wednesday after school, I'm killing time in demon form with Rikka, Kanta, and Minako before I head to the shrine when a chill trips down my spine. Reaching out, I focus on the area around with my energy, picking up on…Mayumi? But something feels wrong, like her energy is sputtering.

"Hey, I've got to go," I tell my friends as Kanta fails to grab a prize from the claw machine for the third time.

"No way," he says, shaking his head. "I've definitely got it this time."

"You'll never succeed," Minako replies, sketching his failures.

"See you later, Asaki," Rikka says, waving to me. "Tell your cousins I said hi."

"Sure, sure." Mayumi and Takumi do not know Rikka, but I'll pass the message along anyway. Sliding out of the arcade, I follow the distressed energy down a few streets and into an alley I wouldn't have walked into in broad daylight unless I had to. It's narrow, gross, and dark, the perfect kind of place for suspicious activities. It might also be the burial ground for the two humans I see in front of me.

I don't process the way they look or any defining features other than their physical size because of the rage that clouds my vision at the sight of Mayumi, unconscious and being lifted by her wrist, her body hanging limp in one man's grip. The men say something to each other as I take a step forward, one after another.

"Put her down," I growl, startling them both.

"Look," one of them says, elbowing the man still holding Mayumi. "Another school girl. I bet we can get good money for her too."

"Grab her."

The moment the larger of the two men moves toward me, I flash step, my hand covering his face as I lift him and slam him into the ground, his skull making a sickening crack on the pavement. "I said," I snarl, my hand still pressing the man's head down as I look up at the other one, "put…her…down."

He tries to run, dragging Mayumi a half a foot before he screams in agony, the flesh of his hand bubbling where I burned him. He drops my cousin, and I grip him by the throat, my hand hot, searing his flesh as I fling him on top of his companion. It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to melt them both so they become a puddle of flesh, their bones some kind of ashen garnish. Instead, I turn to Mayumi.

Crouching down at her side, I lift her head, noticing the bruises starting to form on her face and arms. I can't tell if she's fainted from the pain, some kind of head trauma, or something else entirely, but I can at least heal her wounds, which I do before trying to rouse her.

"Mayumi? Hey, Mayumi?" She doesn't stir, but I can sense her energy flickering around me. It feels kind of wrong, and I grip her tightly, a lump settling in my throat. "Mayumi!" Still no response. Scooping her into my arms, I run out of the alley, making a beeline for the shrine. When I step through the gate, my body feels heavy, and I realize it's the barrier that keeps demons out. It hasn't stopped me from entering, but it does make it harder to move. To that end, I create my own barrier, covering myself in spirit energy, and the weight disappears.

"Takumi!" I shout, heading for the courtyard, where I'm hoping I'll find him practicing. He's not there, but all of his practice equipment is. "Dammit," I growl, turning to find Hata standing right behind me.

"Miss Asaki," he says, eyes wide. "What…" When he sees Mayumi, he turns, saying, "Follow me." I do as he asks, and he leads me to Mayumi's bedroom. "I'll get the young master," he tells me as I lay her on the bed. Then, he's gone. It's only a minute later, but it feels like hours by the time Takumi runs inside, dressed in old clothes covered in dust. He must have been cleaning when Hata found him.

He looks at me for a second, confusion clouding his gaze before his eyes clear, and he nods, pressing his hands to Mayumi's temples. "Asaki. What happened?"

"I'm not sure," I reply. I explain to him what I felt and how I found her, and he sighs, looking at Hata. "Call the police. Maybe those…people…are still there."

"Of course." He bows and leaves the three of us alone.

"I think she was drugged," Takumi says, the faint smell of loam reaching my nose. "You said she was hurt, but I don't see any traces."

"I healed her," I reply, and he nods, closing his eyes.

"You'll have to show us that sometime. I think we've lost that ability somewhere over the years." His dark green energy swirls around him mingling with Mayumi's stuttering light green, and I watch, unable to tear my gaze away as Takumi's energy covers his sister. He grunts, falling to his knees as Mayumi's eyes fly open, and she sits up.

"W-what…?" She presses a hand to her forehead, gagging slightly. "Where am I?"

"Home," Takumi gasps, staggering to his feet. He's a little unsteady, but he manages to stay upright, and I wonder what he just did.

"The last thing I remember are these awful men…." Mayumi shudders, and I squeeze her hand gently, making her look up at me. "A-Asaki?" she stammers, eyes wide.

"Yeah," I say, smiling softly, infinitely relieved that she's okay. "How did you know?"

"Your eyes," Takumi and Mayumi chorus, sharing matching weak smiles.

"You're the third person who's ever said that to me," I reply, shaking my head. "You two are so much trouble."

"But I don't understand," Mayumi says. "How did I get here?"

"I may have rescued you," I reply, shrugging. "I sensed your presence and found those men and…lost my temper."

"Oh." She grimaces, saying, "You didn't kill them?"

"No, but I wanted to. Either way, I may get a sternly worded letter from Koenma."

"Who?" Takumi asks, frowning.

"Koenma. He's King Enma's son." The pair stare at me like I've suddenly grown an extra head. "What?"

"You keep the most incredible company," Mayumi says.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you'd met him," I reply, shaking my head. Just then, Hata returns with tea and hot dumplings, all talk ceasing until we've devoured everything in sight. Once it's gone and Hata leaves us, Takumi sighs, drawing our attention.

"Now I'm even more worried about you, Mayu."

"Don't be," Mayumi says. "Look, it's fine. I won't let the demon get the drop on me."

"Demon?" I ask.

"I'm going to do my first exorcism tomorrow," she says, brushing crumbs from her bed. "Apparently, a demon who killed a whole family is now living in their house. The neighbors asked us to take care of it since the police are afraid of going inside." This sounds like something Yusuke would have taken care of if he'd been around. I wonder how Spirit World feels about this….

"I really don't want you doing this alone," Takumi replies. "I wish I were free to come with you."

"I'll be fine," she says, shaking her head. "Really, Takumi. The family said the demon wasn't causing a lot of trouble, so it should be easy."

" _Should_ being the operative word."

"What if I go with her?" I ask. Both siblings turn to look at me, Takumi's expression grim, Mayumi's hopeful.

"That's a great idea!" Mayumi cries.

"No, it isn't," Takumi says. "Asaki, we've already put wards around the house. You won't be able to rely on your demon powers."

"That's fine," I say. "I can provide backup if she needs it. My human skills aren't nearly as good as hers, but I'm not completely useless."

"I still don't like this," Takumi grumbles, but he doesn't sound as adamant as before.

"We'll be fine," Mayumi says. "After all, we're Takedas. We can't afford to lose." She gives him a grin that makes him laugh, almost against his will, judging by the expression on his face.

"All right, Mayumi. Asaki. I'll put my faith in you two."

Mayumi throws her arms around her brother's waist, all she can reach from where she's sitting, saying, "You're the best, Takumi."

"Yeah, yeah," he replies, peeling her off him, his face a little red. I cover my mouth as I chuckle, making him narrow his eyes at me. "Don't make me regret this."

We eat dinner together, Mayumi divulging the details of her first ever exorcism, telling me about her game plan and the backup plans she's come up with. Takumi, meanwhile, looks like he wants to change his mind the entire time. When I leave for the night, I try to assure him again, but he just sighs, waving absently to me as I leave.

 _Oh well. Tomorrow, we'll show him. Mayumi's got this._

…

I had to ask Shota to tell Kurama I won't be able to hang out with him this afternoon, since I bumped into the upperclassman who spouted some glowing rhetoric about his budding feelings for me at the front gate to school. If Keniichiro hadn't been there to smack him in the back of the head, I might have been worried he was serious. Things with Mitarai haven't been quite the same since I rejected him, but we've both been trying our best to still be friends. I'd hate to lose Shota like that too.

Kurama's going to be mad, but I hope he understands…if he doesn't kill me before I get the chance to explain myself.

I meet Mayumi outside the house she's supposed to be working in, having changed into my human form on the way over. She looks nervous, but she still smiles when she sees me, gesturing for me to stand beside her.

"See this?" she asks, pointing her toe at the line drawn in the dirt around the property. "It's the edge of the barrier Takumi put up yesterday. Since he's on the other side of town at a shrine owner's meeting, it's not as strong as if he were right here, but it's still pretty good."

"He doesn't own the shrine…?"

"Yeah, but he's standing in for our parents," she says. "Anyway, once you get in here, your demon powers will be useless. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be. You?"

"Totally," she says, giving me two cheesy thumbs up. Even through her false bravado, I can see she's trembling, just a little.

"Okay, so run down the plan with me again," I tell her, trying to distract her.

"Right. So, I've got salts, talismans, chalk." She reaches under her shirt, pulling a little necklace with a polished green stone on it out. It's got the character for "mi" carved into it, and I can feel it resonating with power. "This, I'll use to channel my energy. When we break the seal on the room, we'll slip inside, talismans at the ready to trap it. If those fail, there's the salt or the chalk. Like I said, it's supposed to be a pretty weak demon, so this should be easy."

 _Should._ Takumi's words from yesterday echo in my head, but I shake them away, nodding. "All right. I've got your back. Let's do this."

She smiles weakly, leading the way into the house. It's small, two-stories, with tatami mats and sliding doors, reminding me of the shrine and Genkai's temple. According to Mayumi, old houses like this are perfect for demons to hide in since they often carry the traces of generations of spirit energy, perfect for disguising any small amounts of other energy sources. That, and everyone expects these places to be haunted, so no one really wants to investigate strange goings-on. Now that an entire family has been killed here, it's probably going to get demolished.

The blood on the floor of the living room makes me grimace, taking Mayumi's hand in case it freaks her out. Judging by the way her shoulders instantly relax, I realize that was a smart move. I can't have her losing her head on me already. She nods, pressing her hands together, probably saying a prayer for the lives lost. I make the same gesture, but I can't think of the words to say, so instead, I just bow my head.

"Upstairs," she whispers, and I follow behind her, keeping an eye on her measured movements. She isn't trembling anymore, and I hope she's finding some kind of hidden reserve of courage. I should probably be more afraid than I am as well, but I have faith in Mayumi and in myself. We can do this.

When we reach the landing, Mayumi stops in front of the door in question, a single talisman adorning the wood, a line of salt spread on the floor right in front. _Ready?_ she mouths to me, and I nod. Swallowing, Mayumi rips the talisman down, leaving the line of salt as we burst into the room. The moment I step inside, I realize we're in trouble.

The smell of rotting flesh reaches my nose, and I nearly gag, swallowing down my disgust at the shredded remains of what looks an awful lot like human flesh, strewn about the room. There's blood everywhere, bits of hair stuck to the walls and some strange, violently purple substance hanging from the ceiling and dribbling down to the floor. It steams where it touches the wood, and I have a feeling it'll do a number on us if we get too near. In the center of all this carnage is a very large beast of a demon with yellow eyes and claws the size of my head. It could easily reach out and crush a skull with a single swipe of its paws.

"Hungry," it growls, surprising me. It doesn't look like it's capable of speech, but clearly I'm mistaken as it continues to speak, its voice sounding desperate. "So hungry. Must eat." It makes to lunge for us, but I grab Mayumi, who is frozen stock-still in fear, and I yank her to the side, my foot slipping in something I'm not willing to put a name to.

"Mayumi, you need to do something!" I shout at her, pinching her arm hard. She flinches, her wide eyes blinking in surprise, almost as though she's come out of a trance. "Mayumi!"

"R-right," she whispers, swallowing hard as she reaches in her pocket for a talisman as the beast makes to swipe at us again. I jump in front of her, catching the blow squarely in my hands, struggling to restrain even this small part of it. Its yellow eyes train on me, and I realize, as its rancid breath makes it my way, that the purple stuff on the floor is the same thing that's dripping from its mouth. As if I needed another reason to avoid those massive jaws.

I drop the beast's paw, taking a step back, as Mayumi cries, "Okay, I've got this!" She stands at my side, holding up a talisman, the smell of tatami mingling with the stench of gore. I can see the pale green of her energy slide between us, and I clench my fists, hoping it's enough. Beads of sweat break out on Mayumi's brow as she throws the talisman at the demon. Much to our shared horror, the beast opens its maw wide and swallows the paper, not even flinching as it lumbers toward us.

"Plan B?" I ask as I step in front of her again. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her fumbling for the purifying salts, her fingers clumsy from fear. I don't know who told her this was supposed to be a weak demon, but I'd like to give them a piece of my mind as it takes another step forward. All I can think is that I can't let it back us against the wall. There will be nowhere to run if that happens.

"Get those salts ready," I growl, walking forward to meet the beast. The room is decently large, but this demon takes up most of the space, making maneuvering difficult. My human body is no match for this guy, but I have to keep Mayumi safe. This is her responsibility, her future, and she won't always have someone here with her. I have to make sure this goes smoothly today so she has confidence for the next time.

I step around the demon, making sure it keeps its eyes on me, distracting it from Mayumi as it growls, "Hungry. Eat." I brace myself as it lunges at me, ducking and rolling underneath its massive legs. I have this sneaking feeling there's viscera in my hair now, even as dried blood flakes on my clothing. This poor school uniform. It sure has seen some things it has no business seeing.

Gritting my teeth, I barely have time to summon a barrier before the demon charges again. It slams into the wall, hesitating for a second before the barrier breaks, and it rams into me. I gasp in pain as it crushes me against the wall, rebounding back with its own hiss of agony. As I stagger to my feet, feeling like I've been hit by an actual truck, I frown at the creature that's whimpering now, shaking out its limbs. _What happened?_ What's different about this wall? Pressing a hand behind me, I realize the door is to my right. _The salt._ Whoever laid that line of salt has enough spiritual power to trap this demon in here. _Takumi?_

"It's not working!" I whip my head around to see Mayumi surrounded by salt that the demon doesn't hesitate to step on, not even flinching.

"Shit," I grunt, stumbling forward, barely catching myself before I grab the beast's tail. "I don't sense any demonic energy, so why is it so strong?"

"It's being suppressed," Mayumi cries, backing into the wall, trembling like a leaf in the wind. "This is all just its own physical strength."

"Stupid," I growl as the beast whips its tail. I grab on tightly, regretting my decision as it smashes me into the floor, making me let go. My body aches, and I think my skull might have cracked on that last hit, but I get to my feet once again, gesturing for Mayumi to come to me. She scampers around as quick as she can, but it's not fast enough. The demon swats at her, and she goes flying, right into me.

We both slam into the wall once again, the wind knocked out of me as the demon rounds on us, its acid drool steaming from its mouth. My head is swimming, but I push Mayumi off of me, doing a cursory check for serious damage. She's going to bruise, but otherwise, she'll be fine. At least, physically. She's fighting back tears, and her eyes are the size of dinner plates.

"Mayumi, is there anything else we can try? What about drawing the sigils?"

"I-it moves too fast," she gasps. "There's no way I'd be able to get all the way around it in time."

I stagger to my feet, helping Mayumi up as the beast lumbers toward us. "We're running out of options," I growl, reaching tentatively for my demon side. The moment I begin to pull it forward, a shooting pain races through my skull, blinding me for a second before I let it go, remaining fully human. _Son of a bitch. I'm going to kill whoever made this barrier._

"I can try," Mayumi whispers.

"All right. I'll see what I can do about buying us some time." Approaching the demon, I ignore my protesting limbs, sending healing energy through my body as I dodge its claws, jowls, and tail. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Mayumi trying desperately to make the chalk stick to the gore-coated floor, determination in her fearful eyes.

The monster and I continue to dance around the room, Mayumi moving a much slower circuit around us, until the monster hacks a massive acid ball at me, landing right on my feet. I have to stifle a scream as the acid eats right through my shoes, burning my skin as I leap backward. The demon rounds on Mayumi at this moment, and I have to force myself forward as it pins her beneath its claws in one easy movement.

"Let her go!" I shout, doing the only thing I can think of through the pain. I pull the small knife I always carry with me from my pocket, ramming it between the monster's toes. I think this is the first time this blade has tasted blood that wasn't mine, and judging by the creature's shriek, I've made a good call.

It throws Mayumi into a wall, and I stumble toward her, my feet still blistering despite my trying to heal them. It's hard to focus on so much at once as I stand between the creature and my cousin. Looking at the floor, I see that she'd completed the circle. We were so close. Maybe I could….

Raising my hands, I pull on my spiritual energy, channeling it into my palms, spreading my fingers wide as my pale orange tendrils seep into the air. I'm tired, angry, and everything hurts, but I'll be damned if I let this thing win. I promised Takumi I would look after his sister, and I refuse to let either of them down.

A barrier forms around the monster, and I nearly collapse in relief, just barely managing to keep myself upright. When the demon rams against the barrier, two things happen at once: it lets out a guttural cry, and a crack forms in my energy. I immediately stop trying to heal my body, instead focusing everything I have on the barrier. The break reseals itself, but when the demon charges again, even more cracks appear. One more, and we're going to be in serious trouble.

I stand my ground, bracing myself for what is sure to be one hell of an impact when a sound like lightning echoes in the room. Both the monster and I turn to see the door fly open, Takumi racing over to stand in front of me. His hair is a mess, he's covered in sweat, and he's clearly exhausted, but that doesn't stop him from raising his hands, the smell of loam enveloping me and completely overpowering the rotting stench of human flesh.

"Put your hands on my back," he pants as his green energy flows over my barrier, sealing the cracks. I do as he asks, and he says, "Channel whatever you've got left through me."

"H-how?" I stammer.

"Just like you heal people, only without the intent."

 _Without the intent?_ How many times has Mayumi told me intent is key? "Okay," I say, pressing against him, focusing on what strength I have left. I can feel it flow into him and then out into the air around us as it traps the demon securely in our barrier.

I've spent so much time around Mayumi, seen her strength firsthand and on many occasions, but I've never seen the full extent of Takumi's power. Suddenly, his threat about hurting Kurama if he stepped out of line seems infinitely more feasible as the demon before us thrashes and growls in agony, screams of "I'm so hungry!" echoing in my ears. Shivers rack my body at the pressure in the room as Takumi takes a step forward, my hands sliding from his back.

"Demon, begone!" he cries, and the room is enveloped in blinding green light. When I open my eyes again, all that remains of the beast is a pile of...salt.

Takumi doubles over, his hands on his knees as he gasps for air. I sink to the ground, trying to remember how to breathe as I watch him. He wipes his brow, standing upright and turning to face me. "I'm sorry," he says, his voice a little hoarse. "I'm late."

"What the hell happened?" I ask, swallowing hard as I struggle to stand. "Takumi, I thought this was supposed to be easy."

"It was," he replies, helping me upright before walking over to where Mayumi is laying. She looks pretty rough, but she'll be all right with a lot of rest. "When I put the wards on the house last week, this demon wasn't anywhere near so strong. Someone else must have gotten into the house and fallen prey. This one gets stronger the more human flesh it consumes."

"Well, clearly it's eaten well," I reply, shaking my head. So, Takumi was the one who had laid the line of salt and set up the anti-demon barriers.

"Apparently so." He crouches down, checking Mayumi's vitals before he says, "Help me get her on my back?"

"Are you sure?" I ask. "I can take her."

"You look like you can barely walk," he replies. "Your feet."

I glance down to see my raw, red feet, still covered in blisters. I'll get around to healing them eventually, but right now, it's not a priority. "All right." I set Mayumi on Takumi's back and help him stand upright.

"I'll be back for that salt later," he grumbles, leading the way out the door and onto the street, every step agony on my ruined feet. The sun has set, and soon the rest of the light will have leached from the sky. We'd been in there for hours, but it had only felt like a matter of minutes.

"Is your head still bleeding?" Takumi asks me, and I frown, reaching up to touch the back of my head. My fingers come away hot and wet.

"I don't think so," I reply. "I think I'd mostly healed that before things went downhill."

"You two did really well," he says, giving me a weak smile. "Honestly, for your first time, you put up a great fight."

"Why did you come in the first place?" I ask, frowning. "You looked like you'd run all the way here."

"I did," he replies. "The meeting had ended, and I'd stopped in somewhere to grab something to eat when I heard on the radio that there had been a few recent, strange deaths in the area. Two young men disappearing without a trace. I got a bad feeling, so I ran."

"You're such a worrywart," I say, making him narrow his eyes at me. Before he can offer a retort, I smile, adding, "Thank you."

He blinks in surprise, a blush inching across his face as he looks away. "Of course. I'm always worrying about Mayumi."

"You're a good brother," I tell him, which only serves to deepen his blush.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Softly, almost too soft for me to hear, he mumbles, "Thank you."

…

When we get back to the shrine, a figure pushes off from the gate, making the two of us stop short as he comes toward us, the expression on his face completely inscrutable.

"Kurama?" I say, and he nods his head to me before turning his eyes on Takumi.

"If I may?" He gestures to Mayumi, and Takumi visibly stiffens.

"I've got her," he growls at Kurama.

"You look like you're going to drop at any minute," Kurama replies. "I assure you, I will not hurt her."

Takumi debates for a few painfully long seconds before he sighs, turning so that Kurama can extricate Mayumi from her brother's back. Kurama cradles her in his arms, and wordlessly, the four of us make our way into the shrine, joined shortly by Hata.

"I've drawn a bath for Miss Asaki, and there's hot food for everyone," Hata says.

"Thank you," Takumi replies. "Asaki, when you're done, meet us in the dining room?"

"Sure," I say, waving absently as I stumble to the bath, hoping beyond hope that Kurama doesn't start a fight with Takumi. He's not the type, but Takumi might be. _What is he doing here?_ I'm sure he's mad that I skipped out on training, but I had a good reason! One I probably should have shared with him.

Sighing, I spend a solid twenty minutes vigorously scrubbing myself in the shower, trying to both be careful of my head-injury but also rid myself of blood both mine and otherwise. My feet are still pretty ruined, and the scalding water does the opposite of helping, but when I sink into the bath, as clean as I can manage in such a short time, I sigh in relief. I'll have to thank Hata later for always knowing just what we all need.

When I step out of the bath, I find a change of clothes waiting for me as well. It's just a plain, lilac yukata, but the soft fabric feels good on my aching body. Slowly, I make my way to the dining room, not at all surprised when I see Takumi and Kurama sitting across from each other, not speaking.

"Feel better?" Takumi asks, gesturing for me to sit and eat. I'm not really hungry, but I grab one of the dumplings I'm offered anyway, taking small bites.

"Much," I reply. "How is Mayumi?"

"She'll be fine," Takumi says. "Hata dressed her wounds and washed what blood he could off of her, but she's going to want to shower when she wakes up."

"Right."

"When you're finished eating, we should go," Kurama says, his voice uncomfortably flat.

"Ah, yeah," I say, thinking maybe I really don't want to go home with Kurama right now.

For the briefest of moments, I must wear my thoughts on my face because Takumi clears his throat. "If you want to stay the night, you're more than welcome to," he says, giving me a meaningful look.

"No, no, it's fine," I reply, holding up my hands as if to show it's okay, really. I scarf down the rest of my dumpling, feeling like I may be sick from doing so. "Thank you for letting me wash up here. And the change of clothes."

"That was all Hata," Takumi says, running a hand through his hair. He's loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt, and I'm sure he probably wants a bath of his own right now.

"Still," I say, getting unsteadily to my feet. "Thank you."

"No, thank you," he replies, reaching in his pocket and holding something out to me. I take it from his palm, holding it up to the light. It's a pendant on a cord like the one Mayumi was wearing, a pale green and orange stone with "mi" carved into it. "I had this made for you a few weeks ago, but I couldn't find the right time to give it to you."

"What is it?"

"It's just a jade pendant," he says, shrugging. "Everyone in the main family has one. They're very good at conducting spiritual energy. I hope it comes in handy."

I stare at him, surprised before sliding it around my neck, letting the pendant rest on top of my yukata. "Takumi…."

"I'm glad you're a part of this family, Asaki." He gets to his feet, bowing low to me, which sends a blush tearing across my face.

I swallow hard, saying, "Me too."

Takumi rights himself, giving me a wry smile. "I'll see you soon."

"Right. I'll come back to check on Mayumi later this week." With that, Hata escorts us out, leaving Kurama and me alone at last.

He doesn't say anything at first, just starts to walk, presumably in the direction of my house. I'm slow to follow, but he matches my pace perfectly. The yukata I'd borrowed had come with socks and _geta_ , which is better than walking on the ground barefoot, but still, it's difficult going.

After a while, I can't stand the silence any longer. "I'm sorry I skipped out on Genkai's."

"Hm."

"Did Shota…um, did he tell you?"

"He did."

"Oh. Good." _He's so pissed at me._ "If I told you it was really important—"

"Takumi already filled me in," Kurama says, coming to a halt. I stop as well, turning to face him. He moves fast, pushing me so I stumble back into a wall, one of his hands pressing against the stone beside my head. His green eyes sparkle dangerously in the dim streetlights. Not a single passerby is in sight.

"Why do you do this to me?" he asks, much to my surprise.

"Do what?" I ask, still in shock from the way he pinned me here.

"I stood outside that shrine for hours, waiting for you," he says, a tinge of something strange creeping into his voice. "When I saw you approach, covered in who knows whose blood, barely able to stand, I just…." He runs his free hand over his face, and his dangerous eyes suddenly look afraid. "I can't do this, Asaki."

I couldn't move even if I wanted to as his hand cups my cheek, his long fingers in my hair. He leans forward, resting his forehead on mine, and I think I forget how to breathe. _He's so close._ "Don't ever do this to me again," he whispers, and I can feel his breath on my face. "I was so worried."

 _Worried._ That's it. That's why he's been acting so strange. "I'm sorry," I whisper, realizing he's trembling just a little. I close my eyes, leaning into his palm, wishing I could ease his fears somehow. "I didn't expect things to be as dangerous as they were, and that was my mistake." I reach up, removing his hand from my face and lacing our fingers together, which makes him pull back, dropping his other hand from the wall. "But I'm here, and I'm okay."

I take the hand I'm already holding and press it between both of mine, saying, "I'll let you know properly, the next time I put myself in danger like this, okay? Just like you promised me you would."

He nods his head, looking down at our joined hands, not saying a word.

My heart is hammering in my chest, both from the shock of how close he'd just been and the audacity of what I'm about to say next. "Tomorrow, let's go to Genkai's. And, I'll beat you." He raises an eyebrow, and I say, "I'm going to beat you so you can see how strong I really am. Then, maybe you won't have to worry as much."

He lets out a breathy laugh, and the relief I feel is nearly overwhelming. "All right, Asaki," he says. "If you can't beat me, I'll punish you then."

"Fair," I reply.

"And, let me carry you."

"What?"

"Your feet." He gestures to them, and I wince.

"What about them?"

"You can barely walk," he replies, narrowing his eyes when I open my mouth to argue. "Just get on my back."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Fine." He turns around, crouching down, and I do as he asks, gasping as he stands upright. _So warm._ "I hate when you're right," I mutter into his shoulder, reaching around and sliding my sandals off so I can hold them in my hand.

"I'd think you'd be used to it by now." I tug on his hair, and he chuckles. "That was a joke."

"Was it though?" I rest my head on his shoulder as we start to walk, just breathing him in. He doesn't say anything more, a comfortable silence falling between us, which is just fine by me because I'm so tired I can barely hang on to him. When we get back to my apartment, he lets me down, and I give him a weary wave as I head inside, faceplanting into my couch because I'm too tired to make it to bed.

* * *

A/N: Waaaaaaaaaaay too many things happened in this chapter. They're getting longer too, which is not intentional? I'd like to keep it up if I can, but it's kinda difficult for me. I hope you guys like them, though!

Takumi is best boy, Kurama and Asaki are killing me, and things are going to get interesting. I mean, if they aren't already. thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **Lestatsgirl15, firemadein789, Katsip12, and Sammie** for the reviews!


	67. The One Where We Fight

I skip school the next day, instead opting to go to the shrine. I'm sore and cranky, but my spiritual energy has mostly returned, so my feet get a proper healing. Today, I've got to get some rest if I plan on beating Kurama later. I still can't believe I told him I would. I must be actually crazy. On top of that…. My face flushes as I remember just how close he'd been, his hand on my face, fingers in my hair, forehead against mine and…. I think I might explode.

Hata greets me at the gate, a smile on his face. "I had a feeling you wouldn't make it to class."

"Yeah." I scratch the back of my head absently, wincing as my fingers brush what's left of the wound there. "Um, how is Mayumi?"

"She woke up a few hours ago. Would you like to see her?"

"Please."

Hata leads to her room, and after announcing me, he bows and takes his leave. I step inside to find my cousin sitting on her bed, a teddy bear in her arms.

"Good morning," I tell her, trying not to make it obvious I'm scrutinizing her for injuries. She's got various bandages along her arms and a band aid on her face, but other than that, she looks okay. "Got a shower?"

She nods, but doesn't say anything else.

"You okay?" I ask her, taking the chair from her desk and pulling it toward her bed.

"Not really," she mumbles. "I couldn't help. I was supposed to be able to beat that demon, and I just…."

"What do you mean, you couldn't help?" I ask, frowning. "Takumi and I used the sigils you drew to trap the thing. If not for you—"

"You two would have figured it out," she interrupts.

"I mean, maybe one of us would have died first," I retort. "You saved us precious time with your hard work, and I won't have you saying otherwise. That demon was a lot stronger than expected, and you held your own just fine. I'm really proud of you."

"Me too." We both jump as Takumi walks into the room. He looks tired, with bags under his eyes and messy hair, but somehow, he still manages to look more put together than I usually do. "This was only your first time. You'll keep getting better and better until you can trap any demon. As long as you practice."

"But I—"

"Goats butt," he says. "Everyone has to start somewhere. You're not dead, so you can pick yourself up and try again. As long as you don't stop trying, you'll never really fail."

"You sound like you read that off a fortune cookie," she mutters.

"I did," he replies, walking in and ruffling her hair.

"Takumi!" she growls, batting his hand away.

He laughs, and I find myself smiling as well. "I just wanted to check on you guys, but I can see you're doing well."

"As well as we can be," Takumi replies. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Probably," I say. "However, I may have picked a fight with Kurama last night, so I'm going to need all the rest I can get before I actually have to do that."

"You what?" my cousins chorus, wearing identical looks of surprise.

"He was really worried about me, and I felt really bad. I thought maybe if I beat him in a fight, he'd realize I can take care of myself, you know?

"You've lost every other time," Mayumi says. "What makes today different?"

"I don't know. It just has to be."

"With that kind of logic, how can you possibly lose?" Takumi asks, making me narrow my eyes at him. "Well, you should go find somewhere to rest and recover if you want to even stand a chance."

"Why don't you go to Asami's grove?" Mayumi asks. "That place is crawling with spiritual energy, so maybe some of it will seep back into you."

"Good idea," I say, getting to my feet.

"Hata will bring you some food later," Takumi says. "Also, do me a favor and don't die tonight. Mayumi's too attached."

"Which is Takumi speak for 'I can't admit that I like you as a person,'" Mayumi says, grinning.

"Whatever," Takumi replies, waving a hand over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

"I hope you feel better soon," I tell Mayumi before I leave as well, making my way, as suggested, to the bamboo grove. It doesn't smell like cherry blossoms today, but being her is comforting, like talking to an old friend. It's a warm Fall day, the chill of winter nowhere in sight, so it isn't long before I fall asleep, listening to the soft murmur of water trickling into the little pool.

When I wake, hours later, it's to find a wrapped plate of rice balls at my side. Hata must have come while I was sleeping. Stretching my stiff limbs, I eat the food, wondering what time it is. The sun is coming into the clearing at a slant, so it must be afternoon. Probably late enough for me to head to Genkai's. After I eat, I return the plate to the kitchen and make my way to the train station. It's a little after four according to the clock at the station, which means I slept most of the day away. I feel refreshed, though, so I guess it was worth it. While I slept, my body healed the rest of my injuries, which is a relief. That means I'll be fresh and ready to kick Kurama's butt. Hopefully.

The ride to Genkai's is quiet, and I spend it meditating and trying to think up a plan. Every time before, I've struggled to fight Kurama on his terms because he never gave me any other choice. My demon energy against his, I was doomed to fail every time. I know I'm getting stronger and that each failure is just a new chance to learn, but it doesn't feel like I'm any closer to victory. I have to reassess what I'm doing and see if I can't find another angle to use.

Maybe... I shake my head as we approach my stop, getting to my feet. I think Genkai would kill me if she'd heard my thoughts just then. She'd been getting on me about using my human powers randomly in fights. Since I couldn't produce consistent results, she'd told me to stick with what I know, which amounted to simple barriers and healing. Still, I've never tried to trap Kurama. I wonder….

That train of thought takes me to the top of the stairs leading up to the shrine, where Genkai and Kurama are talking. They both turn their heads when they see me, and I swallow hard. _This is it._

"Took you long enough," Genkai barks. "Kurama told me you're planning on beating him today. I hope you don't have something stupid in mind."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I reply, shaking my head. "You're the best."

"I'm not here to needlessly bolster your ego; I'm here to train morons."

"Fair enough."

"If you want to rest before we start, you can," Kurama says, drawing my attention to him. He's still in his school uniform, and I wonder how many of them he has that he doesn't mind fighting in them. Since I didn't go to school today, I'm wearing casual clothes that, if damaged isn't exactly going to ruin my day.

"I'm good," I reply. "If I get any more rest, I might vegetate." He raises an eyebrow, and I shrug. "Don't worry, I'm fighting fit."

"Well, let's get this over with," Genkai says, gesturing for us to follow her. We do as asked, and she leads us to the usual field where some of the others are already sparring. When they see us, they break up and clear the space. Did Kurama go and tell everyone what trouble my stupid mouth got me in?

"Today's the day, eh sheila?" Chu calls, grinning hugely.

"Good luck, there, Asaki," Jin adds. "I'm looking forward to this."

"I'm curious what makes you think you can defeat him today," Touya says.

"Foolishness, probably," Shishi grunts from Suzuki's shoulder.

"I'd like to see what you've got in store," Suzuki replies, narrowing his eyes.

"Mess him up, okay?" Rinku says.

"Just what I needed. An audience." I sigh, tugging absently at my braid as I position myself across from Kurama.

"I'm not sure why everyone wants to see me lose so badly," Kurama says, shaking his head with a mild smile.

"Personally, I'm partial to knocking you down a peg." His green eyes sparkle dangerously at my words, but I just roll my shoulders and neck, stretching a little.

"That's enough chitchat," Genkai says. "Same rules as last time. Ready? Go."

I flare up, fire burning a dark spot in the grass at my feet as I dash to one side, leaving a trail of destruction behind me. _This is crazy. It won't work. He's going to see through me._ It's the only plan I've got, and I'm willing to gamble. I've never lost a bet when it really counted, after all.

Dashing in close, Kurama blocks a fiery kick, backpedaling as he summons his rose whip. With a flick of the weapon, he's left a scratch on my face that I don't other healing. I need all the human energy I've got if I'm going to make this work.

We trade blows back and forth, me dancing a very deliberate path around my opponent. Sometimes, I dig a divot in the dirt, other times it's a burnt patch of ground, but regardless, it's an incessant struggle to get where I need to be. Kurama isn't exactly an obliging opponent, and before I know it, I'm covered in injuries, moving slower and slower. Kurama's hurt too, however, proof of the results of our extensive training. Even so, I know he's got more in him right now than I do, especially since I haven't healed any of my wounds.

 _One more line_. I send out a wave of fire, being careful that it doesn't scorch the ground unless I want it to. Kurama dodges it, as I'd hoped he would, and I manage to blacken the last bit of ground. That's when I notice the vines that creep over my shoes, trapping me in place. _Shit_. I try to burn them, break them, anything to break free, but they only climb higher. Looking up, I see Kurama approaching slowly, and I realize I'm out of time. It's now or never.

Raising my hands, I extend my arms, palms out, summoning up every ounce of strength I have left in me. I can feel a tingling racing over my skin, extending from my fingertips and out into the air before me. Something is warm against my chest, and I realize the necklace Takumi had given me yesterday is glowing. _They're very good at conducting spiritual energy._ Takumi's words return to me, and I find myself grinning, in spite of myself as the vines at my feet fall away.

The ground where I'd drawn the proper sigils glows, a barrier rising and encircling Kurama, waves of pale orange and green flicking in the air. All of my injuries heal in an instant, and I stare, awestruck, at what I've created. I can't believe I made a barrier this large and this powerful. All that remains to be seen is if it's powerful enough.

Kurama steps forward, pressing a palm against the glowing wall. He pushes into it, but it holds, much to my relief. I watch him try to pull a rose from his hair, but all he gets is a stem that shatters between his fingers. He frowns, trying again with the same result. After trying and failing to sew some seeds, he shakes his head.

"I can't access my demonic energy in here," Kurama says, a wry smile creeping onto his face. "I surrender. You've won."

"Thank goodness," I whisper, dropping my hands. The barrier remains, and I frown, walking over and pressing a hand against it. Suddenly, all of that energy rushes inside of me, knocking me onto my backside. "Oops."

"Well done, Asaki," Kurama says, offering me a hand up. I take it, healing the worst of his wounds as he helps me stand.

"Th-thanks," I stammer, rubbing my eyes at the spots that are swimming there. "That was sure something."

"Moron," Genkai says, hitting me in the back of the head. I hadn't even noticed her approach.

"Ow!" I grumble, looking down at her.

"What did I tell you about experimenting? Stick with what you can control."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" I reply, crossing my arms.

"This time. What about the time after that, hm? You got lucky that Kurama wasn't expecting it and let you dance circles around him."

"I shouldn't have underestimated your human powers," Kurama says. "I confess, I spent more time watching your movements than the patterns you were creating."

"As I said," Genkai continues, "Kurama was being stupid, and you got the best of him. That won't work every time."

"It doesn't have to," I reply. "It only has to work once, when I need it."

"Go run laps," Genkai growls. "One thousand. Now."

"What?" I gasp.

"Come on, then," Jin says, appearing at my side. "We'll join you, won't we, lads?"

"Sure, why not," Chu adds. "Let's make it a race."

"You guys are incorrigible," Touya says.

"If that means mighty handsome, I'll agree there," Chu replies, grinning. "Let's get moving or we'll be doing this in our sleep."

"Cranky old lady," I growl, running as fast as my legs will carry me, just in case Genkai took offense. Everyone else aside from Kurama joins in, and we don't finish until well after dark. Jin wins the race aspect, but I still think he cheated. Wind power seems mighty handy for speed boosts.

Yukina's prepared a huge dinner for us, and we tear into it as Genkai and Kurama discuss new training techniques. Just five months left before the fun and games end and our lives are on the line. However, you'd never be able to tell by the way everyone is carrying on. Maybe that's for the best. No sense in worrying just yet. We've still got time.

…

The first time the temperature drops completely catches me off guard. I'd spent most of that afternoon meditating and practicing sigil-based traps, part of my new training routine. When it's time to leave for the night, I step outside into the very beginning of a snowfall. It's cold, and it takes every ounce of self-control I have to keep my cool. _Feather, right?_ I squeeze my eyes shut, imagining the feather Yukina and I had practiced with what feels like ages ago, keeping it aloft with steady breaths. When I open my eyes, the panic has nearly completely dissipated, leaving me with a slight fluttering in my stomach and snowflakes in my hair.

I rub my arms roughly, letting flames lick along my skin to warm me back up as I see Kurama makes his way over to me, eyes wide with surprise. "Are you all right?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply, nodding my head. "Yukina and I did all this training over the summer to help me cope with the cold. Pretty good, huh?" I offer a weak smile, and he nods.

"I'm impressed, Asaki. Very impressed." He unbuttons the outer layer of his school uniform, leaving just a white, long-sleeved undershirt. Much to my surprise, he settles the outer shirt on my shoulders, saying, "Better?"

"Y-yeah." I'm not even the least bit cold anymore, but it has nothing to do with the extra layer and everything to do with how red my face must be right now. "Are you sure? You're going to get cold."

"I'll be all right," he replies. "You're putting out enough heat for the both of us." The smile on his face shows he's teasing, and I elbow him in the side, trying to force down my earlier embarrassment.

"I can't help it. I'm hot by nature."

"True."

The word is brief, but something about the look he gives me singes me from head to toe.

…

October and November fly by, and before I know it, it's Christmas Eve. I'd spent last year with Kurama, but by the time he asks me if I'd like to do the same this year, I have to turn him down. Surprise of surprises, but I actually have plans.

"I never thought I'd be spending one of the most romantic days of the year at a shrine," Rikka grumbles as we stop outside the gate to Takeda shrine.

"If you had a date, you wouldn't be here," I reply, waving as Keiko and Yukina approach from down the street.

"Direct hit," Rikka says, pressing a hand to her heart. "Minako, save me, Asa's being a bully."

"Pass," Minako mumbles, her pencil sliding across her sketchpad. "I'm busy."

"I'm going to go home if you two are just going to treat me like this all night."

"What's different than normal?" I ask, smiling briefly at her mock insulted expression as Keiko and Yukina stop beside me. "Hey! Long time no see," I tell Keiko.

"Too long," she replies. "Yukina and I have been catching up on the way over."

"It's been quite some time for me as well," Yukina says, smiling warmly.

"Thanks for meeting her at the station," I tell Keiko. "I had to go pick up these guys." I gesture at Rikka and Minako, the former of whom is eyeing my other friends with narrowed eyes.

"Hey, are you going to introduce us?" Rikka asks, linking an arm with mine. "I want to know who this girl is who speaks so informally to _my_ Asaki."

"Your what now?" I ask, shaking my head as I extricate my arm. "Rikka, Minako, this is Keiko and this is Yukina. They're old friends. We've been through a lot together."

"Way too much," Keiko agrees, giving a weak wave to my other friends as Yukina nods. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Minako says, grabbing Rikka by the shoulder and forcing her back a step. "Asaki, it's cold out here."

"Right, right," I say, turning to see Hata, with uncannily perfect timing as usual, walking toward us.

"Good evening, Miss Asaki," he says, bowing low. "Permit me to escort you to where Mistress Mayumi is waiting."

 _Mistress Mayumi?_ Rikka mouths as Hata turns to lead the way.

I shrug, not feeling like explaining Hata right this moment. Instead, I follow after, everyone else falling into step behind me. When we get to the living area of the shrine, Hata takes us to a room I've never actually been in, with a big, open floor, a _kotatsu_ off to one side, and a TV toward the back. Lined up on the floor are seven futons and blankets. Near the TV, crouched down and sorting through movies, are Mayumi and someone I've never met.

"Mistress, your guests," Hata says before giving me a smile and making his exit.

"Asaki!" Mayumi cries, getting to her feet. She walks over to me, grinning hugely. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Me too," I reply. "Thanks for letting me bring the others along." I gesture to my friends, saying, "Guys, this is my cousin, Mayumi Takeda." After getting the formalities of introduction out of the way and everyone deciding on first names, Mayumi's own guest walks toward us, a few movies in her arms. I have to fight the urge to outright stare when she stops beside Mayumi.

I don't know that I've ever seen someone so classically beautiful. She has pale skin, and a thin face, her hair perfectly straight, long, shiny, and black, hime cut to frame her face. It's loosely tied back at the nape of her neck, as though she just wanted it out of her face, and yet somehow, it still looks styled that way. She's slender in all the right places, and her posture is perfect, down to the way she positions her feet, almost like a dancer.

"Oh, this is Ai Hino," Mayumi says, her voice drawing my eyes reluctantly from the woman before me. "She's an old family friend. Her folks run a Shinto shrine on the other side of town."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Ai." She smiles at us, and I swear, if I wasn't already in love, I might have fallen for her.

"So," Mayumi says, clapping her hands together, "we've got tons of snacks and gads of movies. Are we ready to kick off this Single Girls' night?"

"I can't tell if that's depressing or not," Keiko deadpans.

"I don't see the problem in not having a romantic partner," Yukina says. "Everyone does things at their own pace, right? Our pace is perfect for us right now. We can always speed up or slow down as we need to."

"Well said." Ai nods her head to Yukina's words, adding, "There's no rush. We're still young." Yukina and I smile wryly at each other with Ai's words. By demon standards, we're both pretty young, but I don't know that our human friends would agree.

"On that note," Rikka says, "come on, let's get this started. What are we going to watch first?"

After a fair bit of back and forth, we finally agree on the first movie, a romantic comedy. I've never heard of it, but then again, I've seen very few movies. I find it kind of funny that despite the fact that my company has changed, I'm still doing the same thing I was last year, watching movies on Christmas Eve. I wonder what Kurama's up to right now. I hope his parents are enjoying a romantic dinner or something like that.

"I'll go get the snacks," Ai says as Mayumi makes her way toward the _kotatsu_.

"Let me help," I say.

"Sure thing." Ai smiles and the two of us leave the room, heading for the kitchen. "So, Maymui tells me you're a long-lost cousin," Ai says, surprising me. _Mayumi went straight for most of the truth, huh?_

"Yeah. Our families don't really get along, but we're trying to bridge the gap."

"Good for you two." She nods as we step into the kitchen to find Takumi sitting at a table piled high with junk food, a book in his hands. He looks up as we enter, a sour expression settling on his face.

"Here to kick me out of the kitchen too?" he asks.

 _Wait, is he_ pouting? I could almost laugh, if I didn't feel kind of bad for him.

"Not this time," Ai says, going into a cupboard for something. She reaches up on her tiptoes, trying to grab a large bowl, but she's just shy of touching it. Sighing, Takumi gets to his feet, easily stretching over her to get the bowl down. "Thanks, Takeda," Ai says.

"Whatever," Takumi replies, settling back into his seat. He looks kind of miserable.

"You don't think-?" I start.

"Nope." Ai raises a finger, wagging it at me. "No boys allowed."

"Then hurry up and leave," Takumi grumbles. "No girls allowed in the kitchen."

"That's probably the first time anyone's ever said that," Ai replies, making Takumi narrow his eyes at her.

"It won't be the last. Now buzz off."

"You're so cranky."

"You would be too if your own sister snapped at you like that."

"Did Mayumi yell at you earlier?" I ask him.

"He wouldn't get out of our hair," Ai says, shaking her head as she dumps the snacks in the large bowl. They're mostly bags of chips, popcorn, and cookies, things I'm certain will make my stomach hate me later.

"I was just trying to help, Hino," he replies. "You're so impossible."

Part of me wonders how Takumi can talk to her like that. I feel like if I were him, I'd probably be too awestruck by how pretty she is to sass her at all. Then again, maybe knowing someone that long normalizes it.

"And you're acting like a child," she quips, shaking her head. "Come on, Asaki. Let's leave Sir Pouts-a-lot to his attitude."

"Sorry, Takumi," I tell him, reaching in the bowl and setting a bag of chips on the table. "See you later."

"Whatever," he grumbles again, and we leave him alone with his book.

"He literally stationed himself in there so he could guilt trip whoever came for the snacks," Ai says, sounding exhausted. "He's so…." She trails off, shaking her head.

"I can't help but feel bad," I reply. "I mean, at least we have each other. He's completely alone on Christmas Eve. I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

The bowl of snacks slips out of Ai's hands, and I wince as it hits the ground, spilling bags everywhere. "Sorry, sorry," she mumbles, immediately crouching down to put things back inside.

"You okay?" I ask, taking the bowl once she's refilled it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She brushes a forelock behind her ear, saying, "Takumi isn't seeing anyone. Can you imagine someone who could put up with him like that?"

"Easily," I reply. "I think he's a really good guy."

She stares at me, clearly surprised. "O-oh. Do you think so?"

"Mm-hm. I feel like the only reason he doesn't have a girlfriend is either because he doesn't want one, or he's got someone in mind, and he's waiting for the right time to ask."

"Maybe you're right." She sighs, and I frown, wondering why she seems so upset. Is it possible that she likes him? "I still think it's because no one wants to deal with him." Then again, maybe not.

"Well, whatever the reason," I reply, shrugging, "I still feel bad for him."

"Don't," she says. "Just enjoy the night. We've got a lot of girl time ahead of us."

When we step back in the room where the others are waiting, getting mobbed by hungry girls who raid the snacks before I can even set the bowl on the _kotatsu_ table. We settle in to watch the movie together, talking, laughing, and snacking the night away. It feels good to spend time relaxing with everyone. Things have been so hectic for so long, I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to not be stressed for a little while.

I don't remember falling asleep, but when I wake in the middle of the night, it's to a faint rustling sound. Sitting up, I see Takumi tiptoeing around the room, picking up our discarded snack trash and putting it in the bag he has with him. When he notices me staring, he presses a finger to his lips, and I nod, just watching. He finishes collecting our garbage, turning off the TV and stopping to put the blanket Mayumi had kicked off at some point back on her, tucking her in snugly.

"Good night," he whispers as he passes by me, turning off the lamp we'd left on to shed a little bit of light so the TV screen didn't blind us. It's dark now, but even so, I can see Takumi silhouetted in the doorway, casting one last look around the room before he closes the door.

 _He really is a good guy_ , I think to myself as I settle back in, drifting off to sleep.

The next morning finds me completely alone in the room. Everyone's futons are still laying out, so I doubt they've gone anywhere, but they certainly aren't here. Frowning, I get to my feet and head to the kitchen, finding Hata on the way.

"Good morning, Miss," he says, smiling softly. "I'm to intercept you in case you wake up too early."

"Too early for what?" I ask as Mayumi pokes her head out from inside the kitchen.

"Hey! We're all done. Come on in!"

"Done with what?" I ask, exasperated when I'm ignored yet again. Hata smiles as he turns and follows Mayumi, eliciting a sigh from me. "Fine. Be that way." I step into the kitchen after them, only to be bowled over by ten people yelling the same thing.

"Happy Birthday, Asaki!"

Standing before me are Takumi, Mayumi, Ai, Hata, Keiko, Yukina, Kuwabara, Kurama, Rikka, and Minako, all smiling hugely as I freeze in place, completely surprised and a little overwhelmed. The kitchen table is piled high with presents, streamers and banners hanging from the ceiling, "Happy 16th" plastered all over them. Keiko and Minako are standing by the stove, making breakfast, and Takumi and Ai are trying to cover something that looks an awful lot like a cake. Judging by the frosting Ai wipes from Takumi's nose, that's probably a safe bet.

"What…how…?" I shake my head, uncertain of what to do.

"It was mostly Keiko's idea," Kuwabara says, waving at me from where he stands off to the side with Kurama. "She figured you probably didn't tell your cousins today was your birthday, so she did it for you."

"You didn't let us celebrate last year," Keiko says, turning off the stove and turning to face me. "So, I wanted to do it properly this year. Everyone else agreed, so we planned this for you."

"Guys," I mumble, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "This is too much, first thing in the morning."

"That's what I told them, but no one's listening to me," Takumi says.

"Nothing new," Ai adds, dodging the icing-covered spatula Takumi tries to swat her with.

"You're not allowed to just let your birthday go without telling your best friends," Rikka says, slinging an arm over Minako's shoulders.

"It's a way we can show our thanks for you being in our lives," Minako says, nodding her head.

"Thank you, Asaki," Yukina says, bowing to me before pulling out some plates. "Oh, dear, do we have enough?"

"There are more over here," Takumi says, opening another cupboard. "Although, we'll have to eat in the formal dining room. There's hardly enough room to breathe in here, let alone eat."

He's right. This room was not meant for 10 people, so we file out and into yet another room I've never been in. The massive dining table in the center of the room is covered in a dusty cloth, and I get the feeling they _never_ eat in here. Takumi and Kuwabara remove the cloth to reveal a dark wood table, polished until it shines. We all pull up chairs, and then head back for food, Takumi forcing me to sit at the head of the table since it's "an important day" for me.

The room is lively with so many people in it, and I can't help but smile as I watch everyone chat. Takumi, Ai, and Mayumi are arguing with Hata just watching, a smile on his face; Kuwabara is flirting with Yukina; Keiko, Minako, and Rikka are laughing, and Kurama is looking on much like me.

"I know I don't have to say it," I tell him, "but this is easily the best birthday I've had, and it's only just started."

"Keiko got as many of us as she could manage," Kurama says. "Those who wanted to come but couldn't make it passed well-wishes and gifts on to us."

"I really don't need gifts," I reply, shaking my head. "So many people being here is more than enough."

"Too bad," he says. "We're spoiling you, and since it's not just me trying this time, you can't say no."

"I mean, I could, but it wouldn't do much good." We share wry smiles before Mayumi calls my name, drawing my attention to her. After contributing to a lively argument on the best bakery to get Christmas cake from (Seventh Leaven, obviously), we finish eating and head back into the kitchen so I can open presents. There's one from everyone here, and some from people who aren't, including Jin, Touya, Chu, and Rinku. Kaito and the other guys got me card and gift cards as well, which makes me happy. I don't think I've ever gotten this many good gifts before. The ones I'd received at parties in the past were all things other snobby rich people thought would make me happy. Certainly, no one at a party like that would have gotten me a _bo_ (Takumi) or seeds to grow my very own Silk Road lilies (Mayumi).

Once that's over, Takumi gives me the cake he and Ai had made. It's a strawberry shortcake, messy and absolutely perfect. These two clearly aren't cake bakers, but I love it all the same, making sure everyone gets a piece, despite the fact that it's still before lunchtime.

"All right, that's all I can take of you guys," Takumi says when we've finished eating. "Everybody, go home."

"You're always too kind," I tell him, smiling wryly.

"Whatever," he replies, offering up a big bag for me to put my gifts in. "I want this bag back."

"I didn't ask for it in the first place," I say, starting to load it up.

"You two fight like siblings," Mayumi says. The grin on her face makes me laugh.

"I'd say you were if she didn't have such red hair," Ai adds.

"Cousin is about as close as I can stand her," Takumi says, and I stick my tongue out at him.

"I hope you like being related to Kurama too," Rikka deadpans. "Asaki spends so much time with him they might as well be an old married couple."

"Gross," Takumi grumbles at the same time I say, "Rikka!"

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing," I reply, shaking my head. "Anyway. Thanks for having us over, Takumi, Mayumi."

Everyone else who doesn't live here echoes my sentiment, and then we part ways, save for Kurama and me.

"My mother wants to see you, if you don't have other plans," Kurama says.

"Sure, why not?"

He takes the bag of gifts from me, tucking my hand in the crook of his arm, much to my surprise. "Come along then, wife of mine."

I can feel the blush, from the top of my head all the way down to my toes at his words. "You're an ass, husband," I grumble, digging my fingers into his arm. "Who would marry you?"

"I haven't the slightest," he replies, smiling lightly as we start to walk. "Someone with an abnormally high tolerance for being teased, most likely."

"The world's biggest masochist," I add. "They'd have to be a real glutton for punishment."

"I'm not entirely sure how you see me," Kurama says.

"You literally fight with a whip," I counter, making him laugh.

"My, my, Asaki. I wasn't aware you knew about things like that."

"I'm not as innocent as everyone seems to think I am," I reply. "But this isn't about me. It's about how unfortunate that soulmate of yours is to get landed with you."

"You're right," he says, his voice suddenly very soft. "I can only hope to deserve her someday."

"Hey," I mumble, bumping him with my hip. "I'm just teasing, you know. You're kind of deviant, but you're not a bad person."

"Thank you, Asaki. You're wrong, but thank you anyway."

"You're right," I say. "You're actually very deviant."

He chuckles, slowing down his pace, and I wonder if maybe he wants this time we have together to last even longer, just like I do.

"Do you have plans for your birthday?" I ask as his house comes into sight. Once Shiori had gotten married, Kurama and his mother had moved into a place together with Kazuya and Kokoda, not too far from their old places. Kurama had had to start his garden from scratch, but he hadn't really minded. Now, in the heart of winter, there's nothing growing, but once spring comes around again, I can't wait to see what he grows this time.

"We're going to see my grandparents," Kurama says. "We leave tomorrow, and I should be back by New Year's Eve."

"Oh." I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me that Kurama must have other family outside of his mom. _Because I don't?_ "Well, I guess I'll just have to give you your birthday gift when you get back."

"I look forward to it," he says. "Are you going to visit a shrine for New Year's?"

"Probably not," I reply. "My plan is to visit my mom's grave and then just let the New Year come. This still just isn't…a good time of year for me. It's better, obviously. This and last year were both amazing, but it's still difficult."

He doesn't say anything at first, and the silence that falls between us is heavy. It's cold and quiet, a typical winter afternoon. Most everyone is home with their families or inside shops somewhere, staying warm. It's just Kurama and me, wandering through the crisp afternoon, trying to reach a place where we can be warm as well.

"I don't know that it will ever be easy," he says at last. "The people you lose never really leave you. However, you'll always have friends to lean on when the weight becomes too much."

"Mm-hm." I nod, smiling just a little as we reach the front door of the Hatanaka's home.

"And I can assure you, from now until you go home, no one is going to allow you to think of unpleasant things," he adds, grinning mischievously.

"I'm very much not prepared," I reply, making him laugh.

"That only makes this more fun."

…

It's even colder as I make my way from Kurama's back to Takeda shrine. I'd forgotten my toothbrush there, and while I could just go buy a new one, it's not like they're out of my way home. I knock on the front door of the house part of the shrine, but no one answers. _Where's Hata?_ Usually, he's here before I even have the chance to knock. Oh well. It's rude to just walk in, but I don't think they'd care all that much.

"Hello?" I call as I step inside. I hear voices coming from the kitchen, so I head in that direction, sticking my head around the doorway to see Ai still here, her head resting on the table, Takumi leaning against a counter, his arms crossed over his chest, and Mayumi sitting across from Ai, a notebook in front of her.

"Asaki?" Takumi says when he spots me. "Did Hata let you in?"

"Totally," I reply. "What's going on? You guys look a little…stressed."

"One of Ai's shrine's employees says they can't make it on New Year's," Mayumi says, scratching something out in the notebook. "Of all the times of year to be short-handed, _Hatsumode_ is the worst."

"I can only imagine," I say.

"We help her at her shrine every year since they're bigger than we are," Takumi says, sounding tired. "But we don't know anyone else who's free." He frowns, his attention suddenly snapping to me. "Unless…."

"Unless?"

Before he has time to respond, Ai is on her feet, her hands pressed into the table in front of her. "Takeda, you're a genius!" She steps in front of me, bowing really low as she cries, "Asaki, can you help me?"

"W-w-wait!" I sputter, taking a step back. "I-I can't! I don't know anything about running a festival for a shrine or otherwise."

"It's easy!" Ai says. "We can all train you. Please, Asaki? Pretty please?"

She's looking at me with these puppy dog eyes, and I find my resolve shattering. So much for a quiet New Year's. "Fine. I'll help."

"Yes!" She grabs my hands, startling me, and it takes everything in me not to fire up at her touch. I thought I'd curbed that habit, but apparently, not.

"Easy, Hino," Takumi says, shaking his head. "You're scaring her."

"Don't worry, Asaki," Mayumi says as Ai drops my hands, giving me room to breathe. "I'll get you up to speed. I even have a spare _miko_ outfit for you."

"Thanks," I reply, sighing.

"Oh, by the way." Takumi picks an envelope up off the kitchen table, saying, "You forgot one of your presents here. There's nothing saying who it's from on the front of the card."

Frowning, I take it from him, looking down at the unfamiliar script that's written my name. The envelope is thick, and so is the paper inside. _It can't be._ My stomach flips even as I unfold the letter. There's a Burn Flower pinned to the top of the page with a priceless ruby and gold hairpin, the red jewel in the shape of nondescript flowers. Pearls are scattered across the hair ornament, and the ruby catches the light like a dancing flame. It really is beautiful. Too bad all I can see is the perfect calligraphy scrawled into the paper.

 _I hope to see you soon, my beloved._

My vision tunnels for a second, a roaring in my ears as I grip the paper in my hands. _Please, no. Not like this._ The letter is blurring in my vision, my hands trembling as I struggle to hold onto it. _Breathe._ I can't seem to remember how to breathe as I stare blankly at the words before me. This can't be happening again.

"Who's it from?" Mayumi's head comes into my field of view, trying to read the letter, and I jerk back, smacking into the wall. My legs give out, and I drop the paper, the hairpin clattering to the floor, having freed itself from the letter. The Burn Flower dissolves into ashes, along with my peace of mind.

"Asaki, are you okay?!" Mayumi gasps, crouching down in front of me. She reaches out a hand to touch me, but before it can connect, she withdraws as though she's been burned. There's no mark on her hand, however, which I find relieving.

At least no one gets hurt except me. I just need to hold myself together. I'm not the same girl I was last year. Hide can't keep having this kind of control over my life. It's fine. I'm fine. Maybe if I keep telling myself that, the bile in my throat will go back down.

Swiping at my eyes, I try to speak, to say anything, but no words will come out. _Dammit. Why am I so weak?_

"Who is this from?" Takumi asks, picking up both the letter and the hairpin. "This thing looks like it costs a fortune."

"Let me see," Ai says, her eyes widening as she takes it from him. "Holy cow, he's right. Asaki, who gave this to you?"

"Doesn't matter," I reply, my voice weak as I get to my feet. "Sorry, I've got to go."

"Go? Asaki, you can barely stand!" Mayumi cries. "And you're burning up. Your energy is way out of whack."

"It's fine," I reply, turning to leave.

"At least take your gift," Ai says, and I grimace, holding out a hand. She places the hairpin in it, and I close my fist around it. I gesture for Takumi to give me the letter, but when I try to reach for what he offers, he pulls it back at the last second.

"I'll walk you home."

"Takumi-"

"See you tomorrow, Hino," he tells Ai, walking out of the kitchen. I stare after him for a second, so bewildered it almost covers up my fear. Almost.

"Takumi!" I follow after him, surprised to find him in the _genkan_ , already bundled up and ready to face the cold in a big, dark green coat, a white scarf, and black gloves. He's still holding the letter. "You don't have to walk me home. I'll be fine."

"It's pretty cold out," he says, ignoring me. "Let's hurry."

"Takumi!" He just walks out, and I follow behind, frustrated. "I said-"

"I've never seen you look so shaken before." I freeze in my tracks, and after a few more steps, Takumi does the same. He glances over his shoulder at me, and I swallow hard at the serious expression on his face. "I'm sure you want to be alone, but I don't think you should be. Just...let me walk with you. Even if only for a little while."

I sigh, gripping the hairpin so tightly I can feel it digging into my palm. "All right. Fine."

We walk in silence for a while, nothing but the crunch of snow beneath our feet to break it. I let my fire burn just below the surface, focusing on keeping that at a reasonable level instead of the implications of the note in Takumi's hand.

"Who calls you 'my beloved?'"

I whip my head around to look at Takumi, but his eyes are trained forward. He's still wearing that stern expression, and I bite my lip, looking ways as I say, "No one important."

"Even if you won't tell me, I can guess," he replies, making me frown. "Maybe an ex-boyfriend?" I wince, and he nods. "And he just can't let it go. He must be filthy rich to afford a pin like that, too. The flower he gave you turned to ash, which isn't normal, so I bet he's a demon. Someone from your past."

"You got all of that from a letter and a few gifts?" I ask, my voice flat.

"Coupled with your reaction, yeah. Asaki, you don't have to tell me. But...I can't help you unless you do."

 _Help me?_ What use could a simple human be against something like this? Even I, as a demon, can't seem to fight this right, no matter how hard I try.

 _What difference does his species make?_ Everyone has to deal with things they can't handle on their own, be they demon or human. What's the harm in relying on one more person?

"Ex-fiance." Takumi stops walking this time, but I don't, forcing him to keep up. "It was supposed to be an arranged marriage. The engagement was...really long. I broke things off with him a year and a half ago."

"But he's not getting the picture."

"Apparently not. I guess trying to kill him wasn't a clear enough message that I'm not interested."

"What the hell did he do to you that made you want to kill him?" It isn't a judgment. Just a question, and a very concerned one, if the look in his eyes is any indication.

"He abused me. For more than a century, he emotionally and physically abused me, pushed me so far past my breaking point that all I wanted to do was die." I swallow hard, yanking on my braid. "It seems so stupid, looking back. That I let him do that to me, I mean. Even now, all I can think is, why am I always so weak? Why didn't I fight back sooner?"

"Hey." Takumi grabs my hand that's still clutching the hairpin, making me stop walking and loosen my grip. One of the sharp bits has drawn blood, and I stare at the dark red, almost blending in with the rubies. Takumi takes the ornament from me, sliding it through the thin layer of snow on the sidewalk beside us before sliding it in one of my coat pockets. When he looks up at me again, the expression on his face is so very serious, like he's imploring me to understand what he's about to say next.

"Don't beat yourself up over something that happened so long ago. Even if it had only been a week, I'd tell you the same thing. No one is perfect. You can't be strong all the time, so you need to focus on the times you were. You let him hurt you, sure. That was a time you couldn't be strong, for one reason or another. But, you didn't give up, and because of that, you're here now. The choices that lead you here were made up of times when you found strength.

"You wanted to die, but you don't anymore, right?" he asks. I shake my head and he nods, saying, "Already, you're stronger than you were then. If you decide, later tonight or even tomorrow, that you can't be strong, that's fine. You don't have to fight. Instead, let others be strong with you."

"I don't understand," I whisper.

"Maybe not on the surface, but some part of you does," he says. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have shared this with me. I don't mind being strong with or for you sometimes. I'm sure you normally run to Kurama with things like this." He shrugs, saying, "I get that. I've got someone I ask to be strong for me too. But, when she's not there, I've always got a back up. Let me be your back up, Asaki. I want you to know you can rely on me and be weak sometimes."

I stare at him for a long moment, trying to take in his words. Is Takumi really standing in front of me, telling me to be weak? Is it really okay? I thought I'd gotten so much better with relying on people, but maybe there's more to it than I'd thought. Is it possible that he's right?

"Are you being nice to me, Takumi?" I ask, forcing a wry smile.

"Yeah, don't get used to it," he replies, making me laugh. The serious look on his face fades to a small smile as he says, "I won't tell anyone what you shared with me tonight."

"Thank you, Takumi. For everything." I clasp my hands together, saying, "I'm really glad you came this far with me. If you want to go home, I think I'll be fine for real now."

"If you're sure," he says. "It's really cold out, and I just want to go to bed."

I laugh, saying, "You're too nice for your own good. It's just buried under layers of sass."

"Like a really good cake," he replies, smiling. "Or the world's best hot chocolate."

"Go away," I tell him. "Go get something hot to drink and curl up under a _kotatsu_ already."

"Yeah, yeah. Stop by tomorrow, okay? We can start your _miko_ training."

"Will do. Oh, Takumi."

"Hm?"

"Can I have the letter?"

"Oh, sure." He passes it to me, and I fold it, sticking it in my pocket. "Have a good night, Takumi."

"You too, Asaki. Happy birthday."

…

When I finally get back to my apartment, I place Hide's letter and the hairpin next to the vase with every rose Kurama has ever given me. Stretching, I head to my room, change into pjs, and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth. That's when I remember: I never got my toothbrush back.

* * *

A/N: Whoa! Yeah, that's about it. I kind of wish I had a big bro like Takumi, but at the same time, I love him, so maybe not so much? Writing Asaki's reaction to that note was pretty tough because it felt like this huge test for how much she'd grown in the past year. I'm really proud of her, and I honestly can't believe how far she's come. Far enough to kick Kurama's butt! Woot!

These longer chapters are kicking my own butt, so I don't know how much more I'll keep them up. We'll see. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **MasqueradeStar11, firemadein789, bluerose921, Silverwing013,** and **Sammie** for the reviews! Don't worry, **MasqueradeStar11.** I wouldn't be so crazy as to push Kurama that far. Not me. Neeever.


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